According to industry executives, Apple Inc. is talking directly to TV programmers in an effort to strike deals that will let the company create its own “over the top” pay-TV service.

Sources told Re/code that Apple has shown content owners demos of what its planned pay-TV service would look like. Apple may have a demo ready, but talks are reportedly still “in the early stages”, with pricing and a possible launch date not even on the table yet. A number of programmers told Re/code that Apple has not even approached them about the service as yet.

“The theory is that Apple would put together bundles of programming — but not the entire TV lineup that pay-TV providers generally offer — and sell it directly to consumers, over the Web.”

While not a revolutionary change to how TV already works, Apple will add to it its much-loved interface and user experience.

Apple is not the first company to engage content owners directly. Clearing the path for Apple, both Dish and Sony have their own deals with content owners to provide live TV and video-on-demand. As of late content owners appear to be more receptive to web-based models than in the past.

This is the latest in a series of attempts by Apple to break into the TV industry. In 2009, Apple proposed a $30 a month subscription model to deliver TV programs via iTunes and in 2014 the company was pursuing a deal with Time Warner Cable to allow Apple TV users to access more live TV content. The latter attempt coincided with Comcast acquiring TWC and the talks amounted to nothing.

During Apple’s most recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook stressed that the company “continues to look at” television and that it is working towards making a “greater contribution” than it offers through the current Apple TV box.

It looks like that contribution will be to sell the actual programming delivered via the Apple TV box, rather than just making it easier for customers to get Web TV.

Image courtesy Apple Inc.