Apple is teaming up with the queen of TV, Oprah Winfrey, to create content to rival the likes of Netflix, Amazon and HBO.
The tech giant's partnership with Winfrey is perhaps its biggest indication yet that it plans on becoming a major player in the game, with Apple already committing an initial $1 billion (R13,4 billion) to create content.
"Together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programmes that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world," Apple said in a statement.
The deal is a coup for the company, which is hoping to tap into Winfrey's strong global following, as well as her talent for creating compelling content. It's an even bigger win for Winfrey, who already owns cable network OWN and has a lucrative deal with Discovery Communications.
Late last year, she picked up a cool $70 million (R946 million) for the sale of her majority stake in the network to Discovery and it signalled the first time Winfrey had made a profit off the venture since its launch in 2011.
"She is just looking to increase her exposure in legitimate on-brand ways and getting herself on different platforms will certainly help her do that," Chad Kawalec, founder of The Brand Identity Center, was quoted saying in a Fortune report.
"OWN has not really knocked it out of the park and she's a smart woman. She knows that when she exposes her name, it extends her personal brand."
It remains unclear exactly how Apple plans on distributing the content its famous brand partner will produce, but if industry whisperings are anything to go by, Apple could be planning on offering a dedicated subscription-based service at a monthly subscription cost lower than that of Netflix.
Late last year, Apple also announced the signing of a two-season original TV series deal featuring Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and NBA star Kevin Durant.
The war for TV talent among online platforms has been heating up over the past couple years with the entry of Amazon and Time Warner's HBO.
Netflix, the first to create original online TV series, has committed to spending $8 billion (R108 billion) on programming this year – the most anticipated content has to be from the deal struck with former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to produce films, documentaries and other content for the service.
It even got the formidable TV writer and producer Shonda Rhimes to leave cable network ABC and join the company in a multi-year deal.
Similarly, Amazon has announced it had secured the TV rights to Lord of the Ringsto turn the franchise into a multi-season series. It will also be working with Hollywood A-lister Nicole Kidman's production company to produce movies and TV shows.
