As it continues to ramp up its focus on video content, Apple has recently hired a former YouTube and Spotify executive. According to a report from The Information, Apple has hired Shiva Rajaraman to work on Apple’s video and music efforts…
The report explains that Rajaraman will report to Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue as Apple faces several different choices about where to take its video efforts.
According to today’s report, citing two people familiar with the matter, there’s a debate going on within Apple about the direction of its videos efforts, as well as other efforts like search. It appears that Apple hasn’t developed a clear path for these areas and that executives have been unable to come to an agreement.
The report notes that one possibility Apple has considered is bundling music, news, and books with new video and cable services:
The hiring of Rajaraman is notable for a few reasons. He spent 8 years at YouTube, working to secure licensing content from companies like Disney for streaming. After his tenure at YouTube, Rajaraman spent two years at Spotify working on its video and podcasting efforts, licensing content from Time Warner, Disney and NBC.
With these recent high-profile hirings, however, Apple seems to be looking to nail down its video and content strategies. Rajaraman and Twerdahl both bring a wealth of experience and it’s likely that we’ll see the effect of their hirings sooner rather than later.
