Showtime Standalone Service for Apple Devices, Yahoo Streaming NFL Games

Just as HBO did just a couple of months ago, competitor Showtime announced today that it would be offering a standalone streaming service later this year. Similar to HBO Now, the service will be exclusive to Apple devices for the first several months.

CBS Corp officially announced this morning that popular premium channel Showtime will be launching a broadband standalone service in July, just in time for the season premiers of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex on July 11. Initially, the service will be available only on Apple devices – iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and of course, Apple TV. Users will be able to watch Showtime’s library of acquired films as well as their entire catalog of original content, such as Dexter, Homeland, Weeds, Californication, and more. The service will cost only $10.99/month.

CBS will be introducing the service in an effort to entice the younger generation of viewers who are increasingly eschewing traditional expensive cable packages for streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. The inclusion of premium channels to Apple TV’s lineup, along with the introduction of Apple’s modestly-priced streaming service for the set top device (expected to debut at the WWDC next week) could revolutionize the way the average household views television media. It is becoming easier and easier for viewers to “cut the cord” from cable subscriptions and move to broadband streaming services.

The announcement of the Showtime streaming service comes right on the heels of another major announcement for “cord cutters” – Yahoo recently won the rights to stream the October 25 NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Football fans will be able to view the game on a variety of devices – from desktop computers to mobile phones to set top devices with Yahoo apps, such as the Apple TV. With the Showtime streaming service and broadband access to live sporting events, today’s announcements are good news all around for cord cutters.