Disney Presses Apple to Include More Channels in Upcoming Streaming Television Service

According to a new report from The Street, Apple and Disney have been arguing over how many Disney-owned channels will be available on Apple’s upcoming streaming television service.

Disney is one of Apple’s partners that is working closely with the company on its upcoming subscription streaming service. Disney is pushing Apple to include most of its channel offerings in the television content bundle. However, Apple seems to want to offer fewer channels in an effort to keep the price lower.

Disney’s channels include ESPN and Disney Channel, along with several smaller channels like Disney Junior and ESPN2. In addition, the company also owns ABC channels which seem to be essential to Apple.

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It looks as though Apple may be forced to agree to offer more Disney channels in order to ensure smooth negotiations. The report notes that Disney is asking for the strongest deal possible to avoid upsetting other cable providers.

Despite the disagreement, The Street suggests that Disney is likely to remain one of Apple’s main content partners.

Apple’s upcoming streaming service will reportedly include around 25 channels, including CBS, Fox, and Discovery, and will be priced between $20 to $40 per month. The company’s streaming service may make its debut in June at WWDC 2015, ahead of its expected fall launch. The launch of the television service may also be accompanied by a new Apple TV set-top box, which is said to include an App Store, Siri integration and an A8 processor.

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