Apple Reportedly in Talks to Bring HBO GO to the Apple TV

HBO fans may soon be able to enjoy the network’s programming on demand via the Apple TV. Bloomberg reported late Thursday that Apple and Time Warner, HBO’s parent company, are currently in negotiations to add the HBO GO service to Apple’s living room media device.

Apple TV HBO GO

For those unfamiliar with the service, HBO GO is an online and mobile streaming platform that allows the network’s subscribers to access certain HBO content on demand. The service launched via a web portal in February 2010 before coming to iOS in April 2011. The service later expanded to Android, Roku, and the Xbox 360.

HBO advertises that the service provides users with over 600 hours of content each month in the form of original HBO series, sporting events, and movies. As mentioned above, however, the service requires that users have an active HBO subscription via a cable or satellite provider, meaning that those hoping to use the Apple TV to help "cut the cord" will not be able to view HBO programming.

The addition of HBO GO to the Apple TV platform would be a significant step for Apple as the company works to secure content deals for the much-rumored Apple television. Apple has taken steps to add several forms of premium content to the Apple TV since the product’s overhaul with the second generation device in 2010, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, NHL GameCenter, NBA Game Time, and MLB.TV. Securing mutually beneficial content deals on the current Apple TV may help Apple move forward on an eventual Apple television product.

News broke last week that the Apple TV would soon receive new internal components with a quiet refresh, including the third-generation iPad’s A5X processor. Although Apple has downplayed the importance of the device’s component changes, the addition of a much improved processor leads some to speculate that there may be greater significance to the change than Apple is prepared to reveal at this time.