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Apple and TV companies still haggling over online streaming

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While it’s pretty much guaranteed that we’re going to see new iPhones at Apple’s Sept. 9 event, a lot of industry insiders are suggesting a new Apple TV is about to be unveiled as well. It’s a rumour that’s been doing the rounds for a long time — we originally expected to see a revamped version of the puck-shaped digital media box at WWDC in June.

Now The Information (via AppleInsider) has shed some light on what could be causing the delay: Apple is tipped to be planning a live television streaming service to go alongside the new hardware, and a debate over pricing with the studios is proving a stubborn sticking point. Apparently Apple wants to charge customers $40 a month to cut the cable, while the channels want more revenue.

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That doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t be seeing a new Apple TV in a couple of weeks — Apple could decide to launch the hardware and then add extra services afterwards — but it’s another indication of the way the company is thinking. The next Apple TV is also expected to bring a lot more new HomeKit functionality, allowing you to control various smarthome devices through the hub and via Siri voice control.

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Reports suggest Apple’s vision of on-demand, Internet-based television has been pushed back to 2016 thanks to struggling negotiations with the likes of CBS, Fox, and NBC. The Cupertino company did strike a deal with HBO for an exclusive window of HBO Now support earlier this year.

TechCrunch says the Apple TV remote control is going to get an upgrade too, and will feature Nintendo Wii-like motion sensors so you can use it like a game controller. The device is in line for its own app store as well, featuring a variety of games, media apps, and streaming services to take advantage of.

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David Nield
David Nield
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Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
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