Apple reportedly looked at a lower-priced streaming TV dongle

Apple is lacking a low-priced streaming TV competitor, but that could've potentially changed.

According to a report published by The Information, Apple looked at a streaming TV dongle-like device to capture that lower end of the market, citing people familiar with the project.

The dongle could've helped put the company's potential streaming service in the hands of more people.

It's reported that the streaming service will only be available on Apple devices and could launch globally as soon as the first half of 2019. Original Apple shows will be free for owners of the company's products.

A lower-priced product from Apple would be a change in tack from the company's strategy of leaning toward the high-end, raising the prices considerably on its newly unveiled iPad Pro and the latest iPhones.

At $149, the basic Apple TV (without 4K) costs significantly more than the likes of Amazon's Fire TV, Roku, and the Google Chromecast, devices which all are being marked down to as little as $20 for Black Friday.

These kinds of devices get the job done, and perhaps Apple recognised that customers don't always want all the bells and whistles.