Apple Negotiating to Stream EPIX Movies to Apple TV & Future Devices

Earlier this year, Apple Inc. began negotiations to stream films owned by EPIX, which is a joint venture backed by three major movie studios, on various devices including their long awaited television set.

Apple current sells a $99 set-top box that is hooked up to a TV set and allows users to stream content from Netflix and the MLB channel. It is anticipated that they will roll out a television set with the Apple TV technology integrated either later this year or in early 2013.

EPIX is a three-year-old venture created by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., MGM, and Viacom's Paramount PIctures.

According to one source, any discussions would apply to its set-top box as well as any upcoming devices that stream content. The source says, however, that talks are preliminary stages and no agreement is considered near.

One potential complication that may be in play is a 2010 agreement that EPIX made with Netflix. Netflix pays $200 million a year to stream movies to its 23.4 million U.S. customers. Under that deal, Netflix has exclusive streaming rights to EPIX movies. That deal, however, only extends through this coming September.