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Apple in Talks with Comcast About Streaming-TV Service - WSJ.com

Apple in Talks With Comcast About Streaming-TV Service
Companies Discuss Service That Would Try to Bypass Web Congestion

By SHALINI RAMACHANDRAN, DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and AMOL SHARMA CONNECT
March 23, 2014 8:36 p.m. ET
Apple Inc. is in talks with Comcast Corp. about teaming up for a streaming-television service that would use an Apple set-top box and get special treatment on Comcast's cables to ensure it bypasses congestion on the Web, people familiar with the matter say.

The discussions between the world's most valuable company and the nation's largest cable provider are still in early stages and many hurdles remain. But the deal, if sealed,...

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More info at businessinsider, see below, who says they are not even close to a deal so I wonder for what purpose this was leaked now to WSJ?
Journalist doesn't get it --this would be a huge business for Apple--tv model is broken right now, average Joe doesn't use smart features and is confused about the "source" button to change to his/her blu ray player.

Apple Talking To Comcast For Apple TV - Business Insider

"Apple Is In Talks With Comcast About Doing A Web-Based TV Service
JAY YAROW
27 MINUTES AGO 533

Apple is talking to Comcast about using Apple TV as a cable box that streams video, according to a new report from Shalini Ramachandran, Daisuke Wakabayashi, Amol Sharma at the Wall Street Journal.

The talks are still in preliminary stages, and seem uncertain to happen. The WSJ says, "Apple and Comcast aren’t close to an agreement."

Here is what Apple is talking to Comcast about doing.

Apple wants to stream live, and on-demand TV content to Apple TV owners. It would store all the content, including video recording in the cloud.

Apple wants to get "special treatment" from Comcast so that its Internet-based video streams don't encounter the same sort of congestion that other Internet content would hit, according to the WSJ. Apple doesn't want any users bumping into buffering or streaming issues.

To deliver a high quality TV service, Comcast would have to invest in its own network.

Comcast subscribers who get their television service through an Apple TV would log-in using an Apple ID, the same Apple ID people use for buying apps and music from Apple. Comcast isn't thrilled with the idea of Apple controlling its customers.

Apple would seek a cut of the subscription revenue from Comcast subscribers.

Even if Comcast wanted to do this deal, it's unclear it could happen. Apple has to secure rights from TV networks to do a service like this, says the WSJ.

The whole thing sounds messy and complicated. It also seems like a relatively small business for Apple. "