Apple announced a wide-reaching partnership with Charter Communications today at its Worldwide Developers Conference. Not only will Charter launch an app that will let subscribers watch their pay TV service on Apple TV 4K later this year, it will also offer iPhones and iPads in its soon-to-launch wireless service.
The Spectrum TV app for Apple TV 4K will let subscribers watch “hundreds” of live TV channels and “tens of thousands” of on-demand TV shows and movies, all without using a leased pay TV set-top. Under the marketing relationship, Charter will offer the OTT device to its subscribers through promotions.
Notable: In its announcement today, Charter said nothing about customers not having to lease a set-top box to get its video service. Fierce is still waiting for Charter to provide clarity on that issue.
Charter already provides the Spectrum TV app for Apple’s iPhone and iPad mobile devices. The new version of the app for Apple TV 4K and the mobile devices will be tied into Siri voice commands. Few details were offered, but Charter will be promoting the iPhone and iPad when it launches its mobile service in the coming months.
Also, with Apple TV 4K’s new operating system, tvOS 12, no TV Everywhere sign-ons will be required.
“Apple TV simply detects the user’s broadband network and automatically signs them in to all the supported apps they receive through their subscription—no typing required. Zero sign-on begins with Charter later this year and will expand to other providers over time,” Apple said in its announcement.
The Spectrum TV app has been available for Roku since 2015, letting authenticated Charter customers livestream 160 channels, while giving them on-demand streaming access to more than 9,000 programming titles. Charter has also conducted a number of retail promotions involving Roku.