Cord cutters can watch Showtime on iOS and NFL on Yahoo
Apple must have done something right with its deal for HBO Now, because CBS’s premium network Showtime is following up with its own standalone subscription. For the first time ever, cord cutters will be able to stream Showtime series and movies on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV, even if they don’t subscribe to cable or satellite television.
According to a press release, the launch of Showtime’s subscription-based streaming service will happen sometime in early July, in time for the season premieres of “Ray Donovan” and “Masters of Sex” on July 12. A subscription to Showtime will cost $10.99, and will not require viewers to have existing cable service.
In other news for cord cutters, the bidding is over for the rights to the NFL game the league has decided to live stream. Yahoo announced that it has won the rights to stream the Oct. 25 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The game will not be aired on TV in the U.S., except in the Bills’ and Jaguars’ home markets. Instead, it will be available for streaming with ads attached, all around the world. According to CNN, Yahoo is paying at least $10 million for the rights to that single game. Since Yahoo has a channel on Apple TV and apps on the iPhone and iPad, it’s a pretty good bet that you’ll be able to watch the game on your iOS device or set top box.
Apple is reportedly working out the details for its own streaming television service, but the latest rumors suggest that it will not be announced at the June 8 WWDC keynote. We do, however, expect to see new Apple TV hardware, along with a software development kit that will allow app developers to produce third-party programs for the platform.