It’s been years since we first heard that Steve Jobs had “cracked” TV, but we haven’t seen much progress on that front outside of a few updates to the Apple TV set-top box. Recode reports today, however, that Apple is now in talks to launch its own web-based TV service.
The service is not expected to be a full offering of current television programming, but rather a package of select shows offered as part of a subscription. The content would be distributed over the web. A prototype of the service is apparently already running inside Cupertino and has been shown off to a few industry insiders.
It’s not the first time we’ve heard that Apple is working on something TV-related, but it is the first time we’ve heard anything quite like this. Rather than working with cable providers, as has previously been rumored, Apple is said to be working directly with content producers.
Apple hasn’t been quiet about the fact that it wants to enter the TV market. Last year iTunes boss Eddy Cue said that the current TV-watching experience “sucks” and needs to be reformed.
