While TV rights for the Barclays Premier League currently apply to Sky Sports (who can air 115 live games per season), ESPN UK (23 per season), and BBC (weekly highlights) through to the end of the 2012-13 season, the next few months will see a bidding war begin for sales to the rights of the next period.

While the current holders seem almost certain of attempting the continuation of their respective arrangements, it is believed that Apple, Google, and Qatar-based satellite TV station Al-Jazeera are amongst the names that could launch bids of their own.

Despite Apple recently dismissing these claims, it is thought that they may choose to make an offer for the broadcasting rights as a way of promoting their Apple TV set-top-box service, and would mark the first time that live Premier League football in England would be broadcast exclusively by a non-TV channel, with any effort from Google probably meaning the same for their connected ‘Google TV’ services.

Any successful bid from either of those two (who would be capable of financially matching the £1.6b paid by Sky for their current 3-season contract) would be seen as a groundbreaking moment in top-level sports broadcasting, with the pair both capable of adding live streams to their portable devices (such as the iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and smartphones) as well as on Smart TV. A key issue, though, might be the comparative slow and unreliable speed of Internet connection in many areas that are better served by cable or satellite TV, a fact which may cause any ‘online’ bidders to rethink their strategy.

Online coverage is not a problem with the Premier League at the moment, though, as proven by the current rights holders using new methods to deliver content, with alternatives including Sky’s ‘Sky Go’ app for selected live and catch-up coverage, and ESPN’s free ’ESPN Goals’ highlights app, as well as official Internet highlights rights holder Yahoo.

One bidder that might also be able to maintain a presence on several fronts is Al-Jazeera, who would need to launch a branded channel in England for a move to work, although the Qatari broadcaster would also have the funds to cover all they need to set up an English-language presence with the Premier League.

While it is fairly unlikely that the bidders will claim the key upper end of Sky’s share of rights (which are sold in six ’23 game’ packages) could the new competition involved in the bidding process signal that football is not a TV-only sport as it comes to new platforms?

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It has been claimed by ’sources close to the situation’ that the event will not be related to any of these products (which include the iPad 3, iPhone 5, and Apple’s ‘iTV’), though, with the focus of the occasion set to be an important ‘media-related’ announcement.

These rumours are further consolidated by the fact that Apple’s Internet software vice-president Eddy Cue is said to be leading the presentation. Cue, who is in charge of of several of Apple’s media and app services, will likely be launching or discussing another interactive media product, following on from the launch of iPad-only magazine The Daily during his last media event in New York City.

In other news for Apple, an external tribute to their late co-founder Steve Jobs could be halted by the company themselves, as the technology giant claim that they did not authorise Chinese company Dragon In Dreams’ production of lifelike and to scale ’Steve Jobs action figures’ and are threatening to sue if the $99 toys make it onto to the market.

An Apple spokesperson gave a rather unreasoned (but possibly unbeatable) base of their company’s complaints, allegedly saying on the matter: ”Mr Jobs has not consented to the use of his name and/or image in the product.”

While those comments might pave the way for the introduction of some psychic medium witnesses in Chinese court (and not the first time that Apple are part of a case in the country), will Apple’s media presentations turn out to be any clearer than their legal defences?

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The products look like being smart TV’s released in two sizes (32-inch & 37-inch) in the USA, supplemented by features such as connectivity to other Apple devices, a range of on-demand content, and potentially voice [Siri] and movement-based controlling, although that idea is likely to fail in its attempt to be the first of its kind on the market after LG recently completed their own version of the technology.

Apple are seemingly not intent on sticking with one supplier on the project, as website Digitimes claims that Samsung are creating the connectible ‘chips’ needed for the online applications, whilst Sharp have been tasked with production of the displays.

The move confirms long-standing rumours that they are set to directly enter the world of TV sets following their ‘Apple TV’ set-top box, which were added to when late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said earlier this year to biographer Walter Isaacson: ”I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.”

Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu had said of Apple’s plans: “We continue to hear what Apple would love to do is offer users the ability to choose their own customised programming, i.e. whichever channels or shows they want for a monthly subscription fee. Today, iTunes has a rich library of movies and TV shows but it is mostly for downloads and only movies are available for rentals. What’s missing is live broadcast television.”

It is also believed that they would maintain their Apple TV product to ensure that all potential customers are covered, although TV will not be the company’s sole focus of 2012, with new versions of both the iPhone and iPad in progress for a launch next year.

After a year full of technological highs and tragic internal lows, will 2012 be a more stable year for Apple, or is a connected TV product destined to raise their profile even higher than it was before?

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The company have decided to use the feature in a new version of their ‘Magic Remote’, which offers a scroll wheel and Nintendo Wii-style motion controllers in addition to regular TV remote features, as well as 3D-exclusive options such as the conversion button.

The features, dubbed ’Magic Gestures’ will  be part of what LG hopes is the most complete and versatile remote control in the industry, and while pricing and release information remains unconfirmed, it seems very likely that it will be out before Apple’s proposed ‘Siri TV’, and any other voice-control competitors.

LG Home Entertainment president Havis Kwon said of the new version of the controller: “LG has been striving to constantly improve the comfort and convenience with which our customers use the Cinema 3D Smart TV’s. The new Magic Remote is our latest example, incorporating new functions that will make it easier for users to approach and use the Cinema 3D Smart TVs, particularly our Smart TV function which now has over 1,000 apps and a growing abundance of premium content.”

It is a new type of market which all entertainment-related services (such as the Xbox 360′s ’Kinect’) seem to want a piece of, with integration for internet-connected TV sets a key motivation for producing the technology, as developers search for new ways to make accessing a range of connected content quicker and easier. With LG looking like they have won this particular battle in getting the product finished first, how long will it be before it is a new standard method of control, and who will be the first of LG’s competitors to make a challenge?

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Apple stand alone TV closer to becoming a reality

The new Apple connected TV set is rumoured to be using a revolutionary TV control system with Siri voice recognition and possibly motion controls a’la Kinect.

The WSJ reports that Apple Senior vice president Eddy Cue is spearheading the project, and has been holding meetings with high ranking media execs discussing “their vision for the future of TV”.

Apple are said to be keen to create a synergy between a customers phone, tablet and TV, allowing streaming content to start on a users television set and be transferred to smartphone or tablet as they move around. The new Apple TV will derive content from the web solely and be based in the iCloud.

It is thought that the new TV will encompass all the existing Apple technology from the Siri voice control to the Apple TV set-top device. Apple are said to be keen on using gestures and voice for control, allowing viewers to find and change channel by voice and changing volume with a flick of the wrist.

Unfortunately we are no nearer to finding out any more hardware details, and they were reportedly very “vague” about giving any juicy info away. But according to Steve Jobs, writing in his biography that he had, “finally cracked it”. He said that the connected TV would sync with other Apple devices, and would, “have the simplest user interface you could imagine.”

Apple would be wise to pursue a connected TV, as they currently sell the number one connected device in the Apple TV box, which has said to have sold over a million units.

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This type of feature is being seriously examined by Google as they attempt to create their own, which has been touted as coming for a while. A Google voice-control system has been said by many to be planned with a ‘Star Trek feel’ about it, with those previous claims reiterated by the fact that the current codename for Google’s project is ’Majel’, said to be named after the voice actor (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) of the spacecraft computer in the popular sci-fi series.

Current components of Google’s ‘Majel’ are said to include the option to activate it via the phrase ‘Computer…’, integration with recent Google acquisition Alfred (a ‘Digital Personal Assistant’) for their smartphones, and engaging in more natural dialogue, as opposed to the linear command-based Google Voice Actions currently in use on Android systems.

A Google source has leaked information on the app in recent days, describing a multiple-search feature: “It’s definitely as good, or better, than Siri. If you say ‘show me the Statue of Liberty’ it’ll automatically take you to Google Image results, but another tray beneath it might be its location on Google Maps and then another tray might have a Wikipedia page.”

Android’s operating system director Matias Duarte had hinted in October at a highly interactive, intelligent, and responsive system for their next release, stating at the time: “You can talk to it and you can touch it, you can interact with it at the same time as you talk with it.”

With Google’s own TV service faltering, they may also wish to implement the Android technology into other products, such as an own-brand rival to Apple’s new connected TV set. However, with some sections of Internet users already requesting that Google implement original ‘Starship Enterprise’ quotes into the app’s dialogue, could ‘Majel’ be overlooked for its useful voice-control qualities and just end up being seen as a licenced Star Trek toy?

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Apple TV rules the connected market

The small in size and small in price ($99) device from Apple has (according to Strategy Analytics), managed to achieve over 4 million sales out of the nearly 12 million devices out there. Currently only about 8% of US households are connected, but that number is expected to explode in 2012.

Great results for a company whom the Apple TV box was famously considered just a ‘hobby’ product, as it gives Apple a 32% share of the connected TV market making them the unlikely leader.

Currently viewers have a choice between buying an internet ready TV set or getting connected using a Blu-ray player or set-top box. A smart TV box offers a very inexpensive taste of online TV on the big screen. Once connected, users can get access to streaming movies and TV shows and download apps, widgets and games to their TV set.

The famous hobby quote that keeps getting repeated came courtesy of Apple’s chief operating officer,  Tim Cook who said at a Goldman Sachs conference in San Francisco in Feb 2010 that the Apple TV project was “still a hobby,” that occupied a small space in a market that. He did redeem himself somewhat though when he added, they would keep their irons in the fire because “our gut tells us there’s something there.”

The Apple TV device had a re-designed last year making available more streaming options and removing the old harddrive thereby reducing the cost. Other than iTunes downloads, Apple TV also has several third-party streaming apps such as Netflix and YouTube.

It has also been rumored that Apple will launch a dedicated internet connected HDTV set in 2012, which may or may not make the Apple TV device redundant. But the smart money is on Apple keeping both products.

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It has been suggested for a long time that Apple were planning to make the next step in their series of technological developments a TV product, with reports claiming that the set will have the voice control of Siri amongst a series of potential innovative features, with the company’s senior engineer Jeff Robbin thought to be in charge of the product’s creation.

Peter Misek, who is an analyst for American bank Jefferies said of how rivals have reacted to the news: “Other TV manufacturers have begun a scrambling search to identify what iTV will be and do. They hope to avoid the fate of other industries and manufacturers who were caught flat-footed by Apple.”

In addition to the Siri addition, compatibility with other Apple devices and Internet connectivity, Apple’s TV set is now rumoured to also be including a motion sensor-based control system, in a format not too dissimilar to the Kinect add-on to the Xbox 360 games console. This is supported by the fact that the company last month filed for a US patent under the description of: ’real time video process control using gestures’, with plans also listing the use of infrared and motion recognition, amongst other sensors.

The product, if made could become another tribute to Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs, who put the wheels of the project in motion with his apparent plans for a TV set, of which he said at the time he had finally ‘cracked’.

While Apple’s first entry into the TV market (with a set-top box) did not run so smoothly, will a more serious attempt end up with groundbreaking new technology becoming the standard bearer for TV sets, or could the planned new features be written off as unfunctional gimmicks?

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While Apple already have a connected set-top box (Apple TV), their planned product is an IPTV that carries similar features to those used by big-name rivals (such as Google and Samsung) in their connected TV’s.

However, the main selling point will be the likely application of the Siri voice recognition system, introduced in the recent iPhone 4S, onto the TV set, meaning that the only item close to a ‘remote’ would be a microphone-style handset where a user can simply speak their instructions to the TV.

Apple are thought to have been planning their own version of a ‘smart TV’ since 2007, with an current planned release for before mid-2013. Steve Jobs is reported to have been planning the move to fix an industry [TV] that ‘is totally broken’ and added his summary of the plans in his biography with Walter Isaacson: “Apple TV will have the simplest user interface.”

Other features planned for the phone include the iOS operating system, as well as additional compatibility with other Apple products (such as iPad, iPod, iPhone, and Mac computers / laptops), and the ability to perform ‘Facetime’ videochat, a key feature of all Apple’s recent products. The one that the company will make sure is above all the rest, though, is the Siri integration, but will users enjoy a product which can only be spoken to?

While there could be some potential copyright issues over a name such as ‘iTV’, will a voice-activated TV stand out from the crowd, or will the buying public just not want to listen?

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Apple TV confirmed by Steve Jobs?

In an early review of the authorised Steve Jobs biography, rushed out after his death earlier this month, The Washington quotes Jobs as saying, “I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.” He also said that he had, “finally cracked it.”

An Apple connected TV is expected to launch sometime in 2012 and will marry the Apple TV set-top box into a television set. Users can then access their media from the iCloud and make purchases from the iTunes store. The connected TV will also be able to stream catch-up TV from selected apps, thereby giving free, as well as premium content in a single device.

There have been rumors of Apple releasing a connected HDTV device for years and the delay may be due to development of a back-end. Apple launched both the iPod and iPhone with delivery systems in place. iTunes for iPod and the app store for iPhone, it may be perfecting a TV store that can supply media and apps before they launch.

One thing is for sure though, a TV with the Apple iOS, an iMac screen, access to an app and media store and backed by the Apple name would be a sure fire winner.

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Apple smart TV but dont hold your breath waiting

Munster made the original claim back in March 2010, where he claimed an Apple TV would be available within a couple of years. But he has added a little extra time to his prediction, saying, “I think the probability is almost zero that it will be this year (2012).”

His latest prediction is for late 2012 or early 2013, at a time when the connected TV market will have matured and be ready to exploit. It is well known by many that Apple are heavily investing in new components and manufacturing bases, but observers are just not so sure for what.

After the recent resignation of poorly Apple CEO Steve Jobs, many predict a drop in fortune for the world’s biggest brand. But many think that Apple are keen to explore new markets and TV production is pretty new for them.

An Apple television would be expected to be manufactured by a large electronics company, who then put in an Apple TV, preload iTunes and add iCloud support. Although it would be an exciting thought, nobody is confirming that any new TV would be touchscreen operated.

The only problem is that connected TV is already well established and can only be even better by the end of 2012-2013. Apple are known for slick revolutionary products, but they would really need to push the boat out to wow us all by then.

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Apple TV rentals no more

For around 12 months users of iTunes and Apple TV have been able to rent or buy TV shows, but the rental option never took off with customers preference being to own the show. The option let viewers watch an episode for 99 cents for a 48 hour period.

The Apple move comes just days after the shock announcement that Steve Jobs was stepping down as CEO, to be replaced by Tim Cook.

The rental deal never really got going as only a couple of TV networks, Fox and ABC signed up to the deal but no other big names joined up. Leaving the selection available limited. Although the rental market is good, that is for movies rather than shows which could cost between $1.99 to $2.99.

The idea to grab customers with a low price point and help promote Apple TV also never really worked.

So it seems on the face of it that Apple have admitted defeat in the market, with the rental model not taking off for customers or TV studios. Hulu and Netflix rather have the market covered in a low monthly rental for unlimited viewings.

But Apple have plenty more irons in the fire, from their own connected HDTV due in 2012 and their new iTunes in the Cloud service. It could well be that Apple will be working on new methods of delivery and technology that give customers what they want from the cloud via a low priced iTunes TV subscription service.

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Apple TV have revealed a new software update to their streaming system, with a new feature adding the option for users to view already-purchased (from iTunes store) content online and immediately ready for watching on-demand without loading times not only on Apple TV but on any other iOS devices, such as iPhone and iPad.

Apple TV get iTune streams from cloud

The Apple TV Internet-connected box, currently valued at $99, is also able to purchase Apple and external content (including TV shows) straight from the comfort of the box itself, with all transactions and on-demand screenings being made direct through Apple’s official servers.

Apple’s allowance of purchasable videos is thought to be a bold move, with the company able to show a greater selection of content than the previous (and limited) rental-only system they had in place before. The move to host purchased content on Apple servers (not a great expense for such a wealthy company) could also free up plenty of space on Apple customers’ iOS devices, where the videos were previously stored.

A further update brings online video company Vimeo into the mix in a similar manner to the YouTube and Flickr ‘apps’ on the service. Rumours are also suggesting that the services will soon not be exclusive to Apple TV, with similar updates to the iPhone and iPad also in the works through the Apple-server developments, given the title of ‘iCloud’.

ABI Reaserch’s digital-home analyst Michael Inouye reported on the developments: “To some this might sound like a small change, but this step further enhances the cloud strategy — namely iCloud, in this case — and more tightly integrates the iTunes/Apple experience across devices,” he said. “It sounds as if this update is limited to TV shows for the time being, but movie purchases might not be too far down the road.”

Sounds like a good move, especially if purchased content sitting on the cloud can be played on the new Apple connected TV due in 2012.

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Apple are going to bring out their own HD television next year rather than this year which was forecast by many, claims a Wall Street analyst. The idea is to put the Apple TV set-top box into a TV set having Airplay and iTunes built in, letting viewers rent and buy movies & TV shows via the iTunes store.

Anyway Trip Chowdhry from Global Equities Research is very specific with the predictions hes made, claiming there’s going to be 3 screen sizes along with three price’s and even says March as a possible launch date.

Considering with Apple there has been no official mention of such a launch, and probably not going to be until it happens.

He goes onto to say that the TV’s are going to have only one cable, and will probably resemble the Bose VideoWave, a 46 inch LCD HDTV, with an integrated surround sound speaker system.

He even estimates the number of speakers as 16 and that the entire device will be two inches thick.

“These 16 built-in speakers give a complete surround sound experience, without the need for any external speakers,” he said according to an Apple Insider, then added “The DSP chip in Apple HDTV is a brand new chip based on Apple’s acquisition of PA Semi. As of now, this new chip is not in mass production.”

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Apple, new Hulu owners?

The deal would suit Apple down to the ground, they already run the mega successfull iTunes store offering TV shows and movies on-demand. And reports indicate that Apple may be launching their own connected TV.

Hulu, the online video catch-up service has been put up for sale by owners Walt Disney, News Corp and Comcast, and has a slew of potential buyers in Yahoo, Google and Microsoft (who are now said to have pulled out of the deal).

Apple are said to be in early talks to buy the online streaming company according to Bloomberg.They certainly have the money available after quarterly profits of $7.3bn, and is said to have a war chest of $80bn to spend.

Apple have a pay-per view service already set up offering TV, movies and music on-demand via the iTunes store as well as the Apple TV product, mobile TV devices in the iPad, iPhone and iPod.

Buying Hulu seems like a no brainer, but will Google and Yahoo see it that way?

Apple mulling Hulu acquisition? – CNET

Google Amazon and Microsoft have also reportedly shown interest in Hulu along with a host of other suitors. But Microsoft has since reportedly dropped out of the bidding. In the last few years Apple has held back on making major acquisitions …

Apple is planning to buy online TV player Hulu – Siliconrepublic.com

Could Apple be a major force in HD TV Apple already offers video on demand products via iTunes such as music videos movies and hit TV show boxsets for download. It also has the Apple TV product a mini set top box that via Wi-Fi brings video from the …

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The company is probably preparing a common Windows OS “core” that will allow developers to build applications across multiple devices. Executives are said to have discussed the issue with over 14500 of Microsoft’s partners during their yearly conference event, and it does seem that a single Windows OS is on the cards. But it’s not clear as how far it will go.

Mobile group chief Andy Lees, who spoke at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference about bringing together different devices,  “into a unified ecosystem.” Lees said.

Operations officer Kevin Turner said: “Our future at Microsoft is the ability to unify the ecosystems and the user experiences. It’s the ability to enhance those ecosystems with great cloud services,” Turner said. Then he added:

“So, when you think about the next release of Windows running across x86, ARM, system-on-a-chip, the opportunity to put Windows with an OS that is scalable across those platforms exists in a new and profound way. And where we go in the future of unifying these ecosystems is certainly going to be an exciting ride, but a big, big step forward is about to get made with Windows 8, and this is really important for you to understand.”

Apple has five devices iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac and Apple TV that run either Mac OS or iOS, and there has been talk of merging the two OS’s Mac OS and iOS.

Microsoft are planning to have a single Windows OS for PCs and Windows Phone, and also the Xbox operating system sometime within the next four years, That would mean Microsoft’s next OS will run on PCs, tablets, phones, and the next Xbox when it hits sometime in 2015/6.

Microsoft wants to allow application developers in this ecosystem to write their apps and have them run on as many different devices as possible. It wants to unify the partner ecosystem.

Windows 8. It seems will bridge the gap between PC and tablet. Microsoft is planning a new application programming model for Windows 8 codenamed Jupiter, with an XAML/UI layer on top of Windows APIs and frameworks.

More on this story:-

Is Microsoft About To Dump Windows? – Business Insider

iOS (known as iPhone OS prior to June 2010) is Apples mobile operating system. Originally developed for the iPhone it has since been extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPod Touch iPad and Apple TV. Apple. …

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Connected TV – This was the week that we heard Apple are almost definately releasing a connected TV set, branded as Apple and connecting users straight to the iTunes store. Google TV began their comeback after details of the new Google TV 2 Beta were released. The new TV’s will run from a modified Android OS and allow apps from the android market to run on the big screen TV.

Streaming TV websites – Hulu raised the biggest interest of the week with news that they may be selling the business. Likely candidate for the purchase was none other than Yahoo! In a bid to interest more investors, Hulu renewed content deals with Disney and Fox. In the UK, catch-up website SeeSaw had a last minute buyer come in to prevent the site shutting down.

Pay TV websites – Amazon beefed up their library of shows and movies for the Amazon vod service. It was reported that over one thousand titles were added. Netflix had a scare when hackers shut down the site. It seems companies are prepares for cyber attacks though, as it was soon business as normal.

TV Apps – From NBC came an iPad TV app. Great you may think, except it doesnt include any show streaming. Merely a collection of clips and TV listings. Hulu Plus finally launched on Android phones but as with the Netflix app, it is currently limited to just a handful of phones but more are promised soon. In the UK, commercial Network ITV showed how it should be done. They released the ITV player app on android 2.2 and above. Both for phones and tablets.

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Will Apple TV morph into a connected TV set?

A report from Daily Tech has cited a former employee of Apple saying that Apple are preparing to get into the TV-set business. He stated that Apple’s biggest launch is coming this year, but nobody knows about it yet.

He reportedly said:- “You’ll go into an Apple retail store and be able to walk out with a TV. It’s perfect.”

And when you think about it, it does make perfect sense. A TV that requires no cable or satellite subscription. Tapping into the world of iTunes and the app store.

It would be everything that the so far ill fated Google TV promised to be. And a further kick in the teeth for Google, after Apple took the worlds top brand title from them.

The slight issue might be with the name, unless Apple replace their existing Apple TV product they would need a new name.

Get ready for an internet TV shakeup though, it’s reported that the launch of the Apple branded TV could happen as early as this fall or at least prior to Christmas 2011.

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iCloud a letdown for movie streaming

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple when announcing the free beta version of the cloud based iTunes, made no mention of movies or TV shows as part of the service. Although users will be able to upload their videos.

The iCloud service which can run on up to ten Apple devices, allows users to download all their iTunes music to any iOS devices for free. And even non iTunes music you own can be accessed by using iTunes Match.

Speaking about iCloud, Steve Jobs said: “Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices. iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps you don’t even need to think about it—it all just works.”

Although the cloud is good in theory, it is missing a lot of features users were hoping for. Read a more detailed review of the iCloud and its functions here. So although the beta version is lacking any movie or TV streaming options, Motley Fool think that it is great for Hollywood. The reason? That iCloud could soon become a lucrative video streaming service. Because of Apple’s very tight DRM, copying and piracy are pretty much negated.

By Hollywood partnering with Apple, users get movies and the studios get their revenue. And of course, Apple sell more iPads.

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Can HBO rain on the iCloud?

It is rumored that Apple will be striking deals with major Hollywood film studios to secure premium content, creating a streaming service more akin to Netflix than the current iTunes.

However a problem has arisen in the form of HBO. The cable giant have in place exclusive deals with the top three film studios with the proviso that all sales and distribution of a movie stops whilst it is being aired.

This could hamper Apple’s idea, as it may mean streaming has to stop for movies you have already paid for. HBO do have their own streaming service to protect, so may be in no hurry to resolve any issue.

Read more on this story here

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Apple iCloud for music and movies?

The iCloud service is due for release Monday at the WWDC 2011. The service will be available for Mac OS X Lion, iPhone and iPad and is expected to not only store users music, but also movies a’la Amazon and Netflix.

Although many think the cloud will be used for just music storage, CNET have been saying that “sources close to the negotiations” have revealed that Apple are trying to “convince some of the major Hollywood film studios to issue licenses that would enable Apple to store its customers’ movies on the company’s servers.”

The cloud concept, from Amazon and Google at least, is that users upload songs to the virtual cloud servers. That same music can then be streamed to users smartphones, computer or any capable connected device.

Apple of course do things differently. Their service will thanks to licensing agreements, allow a users library to be mirrored on the cloud. So no manual uploading, whatever is yours can be accessed from the cloud servers.

If this is how the cloud works, then it will be a definite threat to Netflix and will give users content on a variety of devices anywhere they happen to be.

Further announcments will come on Monday, when Steven Jobs gives the keynote speech.

Read more about iCloud:-

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iPad helped Apple become number 1 brand

The study by Millward Brown Optimor, called the annual BrandZ report showed that Apple’s revenue rose 84% in the year to a mind boggling $153.3 billion. On the flips ide, Google which had led the charts for 4 years, fell 2% to $111.5 billion.

The reason for Apples rise is obvious. It makes the coolest gadgets out there. From the iPad, iPod and iPhone, to Apple TV and it’s gazillion apps. The big factor though is that all apps and media are transferable between devices. Much like Google are trying to achieve with Android.

In 3rd, 4th and 5th positions came IBM, McDonald’s and Coca Cola.

Read more here – Bloomberg

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An Apple TV set, how cool.

Reports around the web and quoting a Wall Street analyst say that Apple is moving towards offering a TV set of its own “at a faster pace than the market expected,” and could have that product launch by the end of the year.

The quote was by Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities who also said that investors should expect Apple to launch a “Smart TV” by the years end. The rumor goes that the Apple TV would obviously be connected, have the usual Apple design and come in a 27 inch model. The TV he says will not just be Apple TV with a screen bolted on but a “full-blown TV product for consumers.”

If Apple do bring out a connected TV then it stands to reason that they would also offer a subscription service, putting them in direct competition with Netflix. Apple do currently hire out and sell movies as well as offer season passes for TV shows, but viewers want a monthly subscription and unlimited access.

They will also compete with both Google TV and Amazon, who have recently launched their own streaming service, although content wise they are a long way behind Apple at this time.

The price point of the tv is expected to be around $2000 which sounds a little steep. But the tv would be the equivalent of having a HDTV, Blu-ray player, cable, games console etc. So maybe it will become (like iPad), a must have accessory.

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Digital downloading is the future

The report by iSuppli showed that the competition is getting fiercer from Sony, Microsoft, Sony and Wal-Mart. However when it comes to electronic sell through video on demand the iTunes store reigns supreme.

It was not all good news for Apple though, as the movie sales figure dropped from 2009. In that year the iTunes market share was 74.4% so saw a fall of 9%. But the loss was down to competition as the download market itself, saw a 60% growth.

Although the future will be a lot harder fought with increased market penetration by Microsoft and their Zune Video, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Amazon and Wal-Mart. They will be helped thanks to the massive success of their iPad tablet and the revamped second generation Apple TV.

It brings back into question the future of the DVD disc, especially as the sales reported by Hollywood’s studios over the holiday were pretty grim.

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Connected TV from Apple coming soon?

Apple have been putting some serious investment into components and manufacturing facilities. Munster is adding this fact to the growth of the connected TV market, which is looking to number 106 million by 2012, which is around half of tv sets sold.

Munster said:- “On Apple’s most recent earnings call, the company announced that it executed long-term supply agreements with three vendors and will spend about $3.9 billion over a two-year period,” he writes. “Based on our meetings in Asia (not with component suppliers) in conjunction with recent media reports, we believe Apple is securing displays for future products. Apple has started to emphasize display technology in recent months (iPhone 4, iMac 27″) and we expect this emphasis to continue with the second gen iPad, future iPhones and Macs, as well as a future Apple television.”

He estimates that Apple would be able to shift around 1.4 million of the new tv sets worth around $2.5 billion. The growth thereafter would be impressive too. Looking at $4 billion by 2013 and rising in 2014 to $6 billion. Apple are also investing in 3D technologyAna which would be a good fit for an Apple branded tv set.

So what kind of tv would the mighty Apple produce? According to Munster they could be pretty big at up to 50 inch screens. He said:- “Recent developments in Apple’s strategy, including the component deal we believe could secure up to 50″ LCD displays, bolster our confidence that the company remains serious about the connected living room.”

Although Apple already have a ‘leg-in’ to the connected market with their Apple TV set-top box, the future is looking to be a tv with everything built in. The expected demise of Blu-Ray paves the way for digital only files all stored in the tv and without the need for lots of external boxes.

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