Apple is said to be planning on bringing a low-cost Apple TV dongle similar to Amazon’s Fire Stick and Google Chromecast, according to a new report. The company has also held talks and discussions for the product which would be priced lower than the Apple TV.
This Apple TV can be plugged into the back of a television set. There’s an underlying reason for the company to bring such a product as it is working on promoting an upcoming streaming service that’s in the works. A lower-cost Apple TV dongle would make the service, which will be available only on Apple devices, more accessible to potential buyers.
Currently, Apple TV is the only company’s television product and is priced at $179 for the Apple TV 4K and $149 for the non-4K version which is costlier than Amazon and Google products which are priced between $25 to $35. Rumors suggest that Apple is planning to roll out a streaming service next year, closer to march to be precise, and it is set to launch in more than 100 countries in 2019.
Apple may offer the streaming service on a standalone basis, or bundle it up with Apple Music and an Apple News subscription that includes Texture, the magazine service that it acquired. Original television content created by Apple could be made available for free to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users through the TV app. Apple is also said to be negotiating deals with HBO and STARZ to provide access to subscription channels like HBO and STARZ.
For its streaming service, Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works, and it has inked deals with production companies for movies.