Reports suggest Apple preparing for original programming

Making the launch of iTunes feel like a distant memory, rumour has it that Apple may be about to begin producing its own original film and TV content.

According to a report in Variety, anonymous sources have indicated that the tech giant has been in preliminary talks with Hollywood executives over the past few weeks to gauge interest into the move, which would pit Apple firmly against the likes of Netflix, HBO and Amazon.

According to one of the execs involved in the talks, Apple is looking to invest in long-form content to stream in a bid to directly compete with Netflix, which currently has approximately 60 million subscribers worldwide, watching 10 billion hours of content each month.

While it is not clear whether the focus will be on TV series or films, Apple is said to have made a bid for Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May when Top Gear was dropped from the BBC earlier this year; however, Amazon won the bid in July.

It is also not yet known whether content will be free-to-stream or part of a subscription model.