Comcast, the number one cable provider in the U.S., has announced that it plans to acquire Time Warner Cable, the second largest cable firm in the U.S., for a reported $45 billion.
The deal — set to be officially announced later today — will see Comcast offer $158.82 per share in an all-stock deal.
Interestingly, this follows on from last month’s news that Time Warner Cable rejected a $60 billion bid from Charter Communications last month — referring to the offer as “grossly inadequate”.
While the story is interesting in what it suggests about a cable monopoly in the United States, what makes it relevant to Apple-watchers is the fact that the deal was announced on the same day it was reported that the news was reported that Apple was negotiating with Time Warner Cable to bring the cable provider’s content onto the Apple TV.
What this means for a potential partnership between Apple and TWC is currently unknown. While Apple has reportedly been in talks with the company since at least 2012, Comcast has previously shown itself to be reluctant to team with Apple for its branded set-top device and related service.
Source: BBC