Apple Wants Apple TV+ To Be The Next HBO

KEY POINTS

Apple tapped the expertise of former HBO boss Richard Pleper for a five-year deal to produce shows, documentaries, and movies for Apple TV+
Following AT&T's acquisition of HBO's parent company Time Warner, Pleper left the company
Apple now has the opportunity to fill the void in prestige TV that HBO left behind

Former HBO CEO Richard Pleper announced last Thursday that he inked an exclusive deal with the Cupertino tech giant Apple to produce movies, documentaries, and TV series for five years. The contract is for the Cupertino company’s fledgling streaming service Apple TV+. The announcement comes a few months after Pleper stepped down from HBO after 27 years years and after several reports surfaced that he had a clash with the direction AT&T wanted to take Warner Media.

Someone’s loss is somebody else’s gain, and in this case, it is Apple’s. The Cupertino company now has the right person who could lead HBO to the golden age of TV. Pleper was responsible for bringing memorable TV series like “The Sopranos” and “Game of Thrones.”

Apple took the former HBO boss at the opportune time when it moves to fill the gap in prestige, must-watch TV that Warner Media is leaving behind in favor of a Netflix-like approach to getting a massive subscriber base, according to CNBC. Apple TV+has an opening now that the streaming war is all about volume. In this streaming era, the selectivity that made HBO a successful channel is dead, with Warner Media about to fall into the same trap, adds CNBC.

Apple TV+ Launch — Actor and director Kumail Nanjiani speaks during an event launching Apple tv+ at Apple headquarters on March 25, 2019, in Cupertino, California. NOAH BERGER/AFP/Getty Images

The Cupertino company’s first attempt in TV production with its Apple TV+ staggers with lukewarm to devastating reviews for its drama series’ “The Morning Show” and “See.” Several other programs on the new streaming service of Apple also failed to acquire the entertainment spirit. M.Night Shyamalan’s “The Servant” is raking positive reviews and receives an 85 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

However, these things happened before Richard Pleper signed with Apple. Now that the former HBO boss is with the company, it appears that Apple is gunning to be the next HBO. Apple is still an iPhone, iPad, and Mac maker, and every additional service or accessory is another way to squeeze more cash out of each consumer.

The streaming war is just starting, and after several years of reigning supreme in the streaming service, Netflix is now facing Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, CBS All Access, Fox, and more.