Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Apple TV Upgrade: Upside Limited Without Content

Apple has been working for some time on a cable killer, and is looking to combine broadcast and select cable networks for a cheaper, better-looking bundle. But that isn’t the extent of the company’s content ambitions: As Variety reported exclusively, the company has even made overtures to execs in Hollywood about producing its own original programming, with the goal of building out a production unit that could one day churn out TV shows or even movies.

But no Apple originals are in the foreseeable future, and negotiations with networks to license channels have been slow-moving, forcing the company to postpone the launch of the service until some time in 2016.

Without that content infusion, Apple TV is just another box — and an expensive one: Numerous leaks point to a base model launch price of $149.

That’s significantly more than the competition, which already has been eating Apple’s lunch with cheap boxes and streaming sticks. Roku, whose entry-level devices retail for just $50, sold 34% of all streaming devices in the U.S. in 2014. Apple TV’s market share was just 13%, according to data from Parks Associates, which also has sales of Google’s Chromecast streaming stick and Amazon’s Fire TV devices surpassing those of Apple’s hockey puck.

Consumers are voting with their wallets, argued Parks Associates research director Barbara Kraus: “If I just want to stream, I can do that with a $35 stick.”

From the article "Apple TV Upgrade: Upside Limited Without Content" by Janko Roettgers.

Previously In The News

iPhone Beats Samsung In US

According to a report published by Park Associates, Apple enjoyed the major chunk; however Samsung does not lag behind, with a 31 percent market share. “Apple remains the dominant smartphone manufa...

Infographic: WWE Touts Record Breaking 2015

The Top OTT Video Services, as ranked by Parks Associates: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, MLB.TV, WWE Network, HBO Now, Crunchyroll, NFL Game Pass, TheBlaze, Sling TV. From the article "Infographic: WWE To...

Netflix Leads OTT Service In The US

Parks Associates has released its updated top 10 list for subscription over-the-top (OTT) video services, based on number of subscribers. Netflix retained its top position while services like Sling TV...

Apple Reportedly Controlled 40 Percent Of The US Smartphone Market In 2015

Apple was the dominant local manufacturer by a comfortable gap between October and December, and now Parks Associates confirm the familiar status quo for the whole of last year. Namely, the research f...