2025 Strategic Partnerships Predictions in Media and Technology

Happy New Year from Fetch The Deal! This teaser edition kicks off 2025 with predictions on the strategic partnerships set to disrupt media and technology—hinting at what’s to come.?

We explore key developments in the generative AI arms race, including Apple's potential next platform partner, and the resolution of a significant copyright dispute to win over consumers and enterprise customers. Beyond GenAI, we delve into two new digital content distribution partnerships in the connected TV and connected fitness sectors.

Let's explore the dynamic partnerships that will transform the media and technology industries in the coming year!

Generative AI Arms Race Will Heat Up in 2025

As we look ahead to 2025, GenAI continues to dominate as a transformative force across industries. From Apple's strategic collaboration with Google to enhance user choice, to OpenAI’s efforts to secure content partnerships with traditional media, these predictions highlight how major players are leveraging partnerships to redefine competitive advantages in generative AI.

Apple Integrates Google’s Gemini into iOS 19 but Siri Integration Omitted

Prediction: Apple will integrate Google's Gemini into its 2025 update of its iOS mobile operating system, iOS 19. However, this will notably not include Gemini integration with Siri. This integration will provide iPhone users with more on-device, privacy-conscious, GenAI options and will be compatible with iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17. The companies will reach an agreement that no money will be exchanged to avoid regulatory scrutiny, similar to the partnership between Apple and OpenAI, and in contrast to the default search agreement between Apple and Google on iOS.

Background: At Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference, Senior Vice President Craig Federighi confirmed Apple’s plans to integrate Google’s Gemini model into its devices. However, the iPhone maker is taking a deliberate, methodical approach to introducing GenAI features to its users, including delaying the introduction of Apple Intelligence to iOS 18.1 instead of version 18 that shipped with iPhone 16.

By timing a Gemini announcement with Apple’s 2025 Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple creates enough space from its 2024 OpenAI partnership and allows both Apple and Google to navigate the regulatory challenges to Google’s Search distribution deal that is under scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Justice. It is estimated that Google paid $20 billion to Apple in 2022 alone as part of this deal.

Industry Precedent: Google already has a Gemini partnership with Samsung that provides on-device integration with the Galaxy’s S24 series of smartphones. However, this partnership caught the attention of EU antitrust regulators who are concerned this partnership could hinder rival chatbots on Samsung phones. As part of its response to U.S. Department of Justice Search antitrust concerns, Google proposed it would not require Android device manufacturers to distribute Gemini to their U.S. users. Beyond GenAI, Apple Music is integrated with Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers and displays, including Nest Audio and Nest Hub. This reciprocal product partnership between Apple and Google expands the Google Assistant's audio service options beyond YouTube Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music to include Apple Music. Apple may take a similar approach to third-party LLMs offering users an abundance of choice.

Why This Matters: This partnership will boost Apple's GenAI capabilities without compromising its focus on privacy. For Google, this expands Gemini to more than a billion active Apple devices. However, Google will take a different approach with Apple than OpenAI by not not allowing Gemini to integrate with Siri due to a conflict of interest with Google’s Gemini Live product. Depending on the user experience, this integration could potentially change the competitive landscape in GenAI adoption and marketshare. As regulators increasingly monitor GenAI competition, it behooves Apple and Google to proactively explore interoperability before it’s required to avoid lengthy investigations, product development roadblocks and potential fines.

While Apple’s partnership with Google focuses on integrating GenAI capabilities into its devices, OpenAI is tackling the equally critical challenge of securing content partnerships to strengthen the quality of its LLMs.

OpenAI and New York Times Settle Lawsuit, Agree to Content Licensing Partnership

Prediction: OpenAI and the New York Times will form a content licensing partnership, resolving their ongoing legal dispute. This agreement revises content licensing terms and bolsters OpenAI's competitiveness against rival LLMs.

Background: In late 2023, the New York Times initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement through the unauthorized use of copyrighted material to train AI models. The following November, the New York Times followed up alleging that OpenAI engineers accidentally deleted data relevant to the lawsuit.?

Industry Precedents: The New York Times's copyright dispute brings to mind Viacom's $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube for copyright infringement. Viacom's adversarial approach towards YouTube was in stark contrast to the earlier collaboration from Disney, Fox, and NBCUniversal, the three companies that would eventually form Hulu.?

More recently, NewsCorp, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, has taken a page from Fox's YouTube playbook by forming a content licensing partnership with OpenAI, adopting a collaborative approach. While there are key differences between the YouTube and OpenAI lawsuits—hosting unauthorized copyrighted material versus intentional use of unauthorized model training—both cases have major implications for how digital content is shared, integrated, and monetized online, shaping the responsibilities of platforms in managing and scraping copyrighted material. Finally, Google and the New York Times have a $100 million multi-year agreement for Google News.?

Why This Matters: The partnership between OpenAI and the New York Times could be a model for future collaborations between AI companies and traditional media. Both OpenAI and the New York Times have too much at stake to engage in a protracted legal battle, especially given OpenAI's successful track record of negotiating content licensing deals. OpenAI needs to continue raising capital, and these lawsuits could deter potential investors. Resolving them could clear the path for future fundraising, improve model quality and create a material revenue stream for the New York Times.?

New Connected TV and Connected Fitness Content Partnerships Emerge in 2025

While GenAI partnerships are reshaping how content is created and consumed, other industries are exploring innovative ways to expand content distribution and audience engagement. Streaming platforms and connected fitness companies, like Apple TV+ and Peloton, are leading the charge with collaborations that bring their offerings to broader, more diverse audiences.

Roku Channel Scores AppleTV+ Originals Integration

Prediction: Roku will bolster its partnership with Apple by featuring Apple TV+ as a premium add-on subscription within the Roku Channel. This will be in addition to the existing standalone Apple TV app in the Roku Channels store. Background: In fall 2024, Apple TV+ was added to Amazon Prime Video Channels, complementing the existing distribution of the Apple TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices. This move by Apple acknowledged that their original content wasn't reaching enough users through the Apple TV app alone, despite its availability on non-Apple devices. Integrating with Amazon Prime Video Channels allowed Apple to tap into Amazon Prime's 200 million user base.

Industry Precedent: In 2022, Paramount+ joined the Roku Channel's premium subscription lineup, making its content available on the platform. This move followed similar distribution deals with Amazon Prime Video Channels and Apple TV Channels, though the Roku Channel deal came well before the others. HBO Max also returned to Amazon Prime Video Channels under new leadership at Warner Bros Discovery, reversing a decision made by the previous leadership team.

Why This Matters: A 2024 Nielsen study showed that Apple TV+ only captured 0.3% of U.S. screen viewing time, despite Apple spending over $20 billion on content since 2019. Additionally, an industry analyst estimated that the service has less than 20 million paying subscribers, placing it behind competitors like Peacock and Max, and significantly behind industry leaders Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. The Roku Channel is the third most popular app on the Roku platform in both reach and engagement and has seen 80% year-over-year increase in streaming hours. By integrating with the Roku Channel, Apple’s original programming could see dramatically increased discovery and trial that could yield new subscribers and/or increase engagement.

Just as Apple TV+ leverages strategic distribution partnerships to reach a broader audience, Peloton is taking a similar approach in the fitness space, using collaborations to extend its premium content to new platforms and attract a wider range of users.

Peloton Integrates Premium Content on Precor Bikes and Treadmills

Prediction: Precor equipment will now feature Peloton's premium content, beginning with integrations for treadmills and stationary bikes. This expansion allows Peloton to reach a wider audience, particularly in commercial fitness locations.

Background: In 2020, Peloton acquired Precor for $420 million to accelerate manufacturing and commercial market penetration. During a CEO transition and company restructuring, Peloton considered selling Precor before ultimately deciding to keep the wholly-owned subsidiary operational. Precor currently offers multiple connected fitness consoles with digital partner integrations, however, Peloton classes are not currently offered.

Industry Precedent: As part of Peloton and Lululemon’s five-year strategic partnership, Peloton classes were made available to stream through the Lululemon Studio platform onto Lululemon’s Studio Mirror connected fitness device. Although the connected fitness device was discontinued, Peloton classes are still available through the Lululemon Studio app.?

Why This Matters: Peloton is currently facing challenges with consumer perception as an expensive brand and increased competition from lower-cost alternatives like iFit and Echelon. To address this, Peloton must leverage its brand loyalty while also tackling the perception of being a premium-priced option, despite its equipment’s availability at Costco.

Additionally, Peloton can achieve growth and potentially steal market share from competitors like iFit by expanding its content distribution through partnerships within its own ecosystem, such as with Precor. This move would signal Peloton's ambition to become the leading fitness content provider across all hardware platforms.

Furthermore, with the CEO appointment of Peter Stern, former Apple executive and co-founder of Apple Fitness+, Peloton's strategic direction is likely to shift. Stern's background in connected fitness experiences that separate content from fitness equipment could lead Peloton to focus on becoming a content platform rather than just a hardware company. Peloton could then focus on being a content platform, not just a hardware company, using a tiered "good, better, best" framework that includes mobile devices, third-party equipment and Peloton connected fitness devices.

Closing Thoughts

This year’s predictions hint at some truly game-changing partnerships poised to shake up media and tech in 2025. From Apple’s strategic leap with Google’s Gemini to Peloton’s bid to redefine connected fitness, these moves reflect an industry-wide push to stay competitive, reach new users, and rethink what’s possible.? It’ll be fascinating to see if these bold predictions come to fruition

These partnerships aren’t just about growth—they’re setting the stage for new ways of working together in a rapidly evolving landscape. Let’s reconnect mid-year to see what’s taking off and what surprises 2025 has in store.?

Next week, we’ll dive headfirst into the fast-moving world of sports and entertainment partnerships. Do not miss it!

About the Author

Andrew Wamugi, a sports, media, and technology professional executive, previously managed product partnerships at LinkedIn and Spotify with Google across several hardware and software platforms. As a technology enthusiast, he’s a current subscriber to Google’s Gemini Advanced, Open AI’s ChatGPT+ and Anthropic’s Claude Pro.

Earlier in his career, Andrew played a significant role in shaping the content strategy PlayStation 4 and Meta's Spark AR platform during their early formative stages. This included strategic partnerships formed with streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and YouTube.?

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