Your digest of the week’s top media, entertainment and technology news. 

Digital digest index

Apple set to invest $1 billion in content 

Apple is gearing up to spend as much as $1bn on entertainment content over the next year, as it looks to compete with the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and YouTube. The Wall Street Journal reported that that move would “immediately make Apple a considerable player in a crowded market”. 

Telefonica plots a la carte streaming service

Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica is planning to launch an a la carte streaming service similar to Netflix, HBO and Sky, according to reports. The proposed service would help Telefonica to monetise its increasing portfolio of content which is currently available via Movistar+. 

Game of Thrones: arrests and leaks 

Despite being five episodes into the latest season, Game of Thrones continues to dominate headlines. Current and former employees of post-production and content services firm Prime Focus in India have apparently been arrested in relation to the leak of an episode of the hit HBO show. And episode six was mistakenly made available to on-demand subscribers in Spanish and Nordic territories four days ahead of its release date. Despite being swiftly removed, the episode has been posted on torrent sites. 

DVB approves new subtitling spec

A new specification for subtitles has been approved by the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) steering board. Based on the TTML spec, the addition includes provision for UHD and addresses the need for accessible content on multiple platforms. 

Amazon inks Walking Dead creator deal

Amazon Studios has signed a deal with AMC’s The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, including a first-look deal with Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment. The deal wiill involve Kirkman and Skybound develop TV projects for Prime Video, reported Deadline.