HBO In Talks With Apple To Be Launch Partner For ‘HBO Now’ ⇒

Big scoop from Michael Learmonth over at the International Business Times:

HBO is in talks with Apple to make Apple TV one of the launch partners for its highly anticipated streaming service when it debuts next month. HBO and streaming partner Major League Baseball Advanced Media are working to have the standalone service, called “HBO Now,” ready to launch in April in conjunction with the premiere of the fifth season of “Game of Thrones,” according to sources familiar with their plans.

$15 a month. No cable subscription required.

Maybe we’ll hear just a bit about this on Monday when Apple has its Apple Watch event. If Apple landed an exclusive launch window it would be huge for the Apple TV. If for even just a few weeks into the latest season of Game of Thrones Apple TV is the only device you can get standalone HBO on, they would sell a bundle without updating the hardware.

Time will tell.