Rachel_Sandford
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Before Steve Jobs, the visionary behind Apple, passed away in late 2011, rumors of an Apple television set were circulating through the tech world. Many predicted that the company would not move in that direction since the Apple TV boxes haven't seen exemplary sales, especially compared to gadgets like the iPod, iPad, and iPhone. However, the recently released biography of Jobs' life revealed that he had “cracked” the problem of building a TV, so shortly after his death, rumors that the company would indeed produce a television set were now well supported.
Now, the Daily Mail has revealed that Apple plans on bidding for the rights to the Premier League matches. The rights to the matches are set to go on sale at the end of the current season, May 2012. The current deal for the Premier League is worth £1.71bn, something the Apple company can well afford to pay. But why would the tech company want these rights?
It is believed that buying the rights to the broadcasts are part of a plan to raise the profile and desirability of Apple TV. Though it is not clear how they plan to make the content available, as Apple TV currently doesn't offer any live television, having the rights will definitely boost the status of Apple's upcoming product in the UK and Asia. It may very well boost iPad sales as well, since there is an Apple TV App that lets iPad users stream content.
The Premier League is going to have a very competitive market at the end of the season. Other bidders include Sky and ESPN, as they are the top two live football broadcasters in the UK, and Al Jezeera is also said to be interested in the bidding. This is good news for the organization and all the clubs as it means a rise in their revenues. The FA has already had to deal with a 30% drop in the price of the FA Cup.
Now, the Daily Mail has revealed that Apple plans on bidding for the rights to the Premier League matches. The rights to the matches are set to go on sale at the end of the current season, May 2012. The current deal for the Premier League is worth £1.71bn, something the Apple company can well afford to pay. But why would the tech company want these rights?
It is believed that buying the rights to the broadcasts are part of a plan to raise the profile and desirability of Apple TV. Though it is not clear how they plan to make the content available, as Apple TV currently doesn't offer any live television, having the rights will definitely boost the status of Apple's upcoming product in the UK and Asia. It may very well boost iPad sales as well, since there is an Apple TV App that lets iPad users stream content.
The Premier League is going to have a very competitive market at the end of the season. Other bidders include Sky and ESPN, as they are the top two live football broadcasters in the UK, and Al Jezeera is also said to be interested in the bidding. This is good news for the organization and all the clubs as it means a rise in their revenues. The FA has already had to deal with a 30% drop in the price of the FA Cup.
