Verizon is currently negotiating with Google over access to its YouTube TV service and Apple for its Apple TV, according to a new report out of Bloomberg which credits “a person familiar with the situation” for the information. According to the report, negotiations are ongoing but nothing is confirmed, although Verizon plans to roll out its streaming service when it starts to make access to 5G available to consumers – later in the year.
This is not the first time YouTube TV has been linked with Verizon as the suggestion was made back in May of this year. However, the difference now is this report is firmly stating YouTube TV is the main option currently being considered – along with Apple’s own TV service. However, this is not just a matter of which TV service offers the best value for Verizon as the two are quite different. While YouTube offers access to live TV, Apple TV does not, and is more of an interface for other apps that do offer access to live TV. Although, there has been suggestions made that Apple does plan to offer some form of a subscription service in the future. The report does not provide any further details on this or fully clarify whether Verizon is negotiating with Apple on its rumored upcoming TV service or for access to Apple TV in general. If the latter, then the two options on the table would be quite different options for Verizon and its customers.
This is the latest development in an ongoing situation for Verizon which now finds itself trailing AT&T in the video streaming space. For months, indications had come through that Verizon was set to launch its own TV solution although in the end nothing materialized with Verizon stating it had decided to partner with a company already in the space instead. At the time no mention of who the partner would be were made, although as the weeks passed YouTube TV started to emerge as one of the main contenders. Something this report is largely confirming as being the case, while pointing out that talks could still possibly fall apart, or land in favor of Apple.