I bet you were happy with the news that iPhone will be playing TV shows pretty soon. I do not mean to be raining on your parade but here is a bit of news that just might do that. MacWorld brings it to us:
Apple said Friday that it will stop selling NBC Universal television shows through the iTunes Store. Apple said it’s doing so because NBC wanted Apple to “pay more than double the wholesale price” for each NBC TV episode, which would have upped user costs to $4.99 per episode, up from $1.99 presently.
“Since NBC would withdraw their shows in the middle of the television season, Apple has decided to not offer NBC TV shows for the upcoming television season beginning in September,” reads a statement published by Apple. “NBC supplied iTunes with three of its 10 best selling TV shows last season, accounting for 30 percent of iTunes TV show sales.”
If there is an upside to this piece of news, it is that it is NOT Apple’s fault. If you read that again, it is NBC that is upping its prices. Then again, this statement is coming from Apple – we have yet to hear NBC’s side. Then again, all is not lost. We will still be able to download other shows from iTunes:
Apple will continue to sell television shows from ABC, CBS, Fox and the CW, along with more than 50 cable networks, continuing the current price of $1.99 per episode.
There should be enough TV shows to download from iTunes but this does not change the fact that some favorites will be lost to us, hopefully not forever.