Apple to offer technology to skip ads

Apple to offer technology to skip adsTechnology giant, Apple is believed to be working on a new technology to allow TV viewers to skip advertisements while watching their favourite shows.

Technology writer Jessica Lessin cited unnamed sources said that the company is in discussions with cable companies to pitch a service that will allow the users to skip ads on their television. The service will be offered as part of a premium service with Apple TV and the company will pay networks for skipping ads.

The new Apple's TV set top box is only being offered to pre-recorded content instead of live TV channels and Apple is working to offer other live content. Apple has been offering its own content like keynote addresses and concerts. Some suggest that the company is preparing to move from selling content a la carte to a subscription platform much like other cable operators. Apple had earlier indicated that it is in discussions with Time Warner Cable to add live channels to the set-top box.

Companies like Dish and its Hopper technology allow customers to skip ads but it is limited to certain programming and has resulted in a legal challenge from major broadcast networks. TiVo and ReplayTV had also offered such features several years earlier.