TORRENT websites like The Pirate Bay could be dealt a huge blow by Apple with the tech giant working on a plan that may end up stopping online piracy.

The Pirate Bay and other major torrent websites could be dealt a hammer blow by tech giant Apple that could end online piracy once and for all.


Torrent website bosses have already spoken out recently over fears they have for the future as authorities try to clamp down on online piracy.

One anonymous torrent website boss recently said the upcoming Google Chrome ad-blocker “will kill torrent sites” as it will hit their advertising revenues.

And while that blow will surely leave them reeling, tech giant Apple could be set to land the knockout blow with a new streaming plan they’re working on.

Apple are reportedly in talks with studios to let movie lovers for the first time start streaming films just WEEKS after they first hit the cinemas.

The plans would see Apple offer movie fans the chance to stream theatrical releases for around £38 just 17 days after a film’s theatrical debut.

While that is significantly more than a single cinema ticket, if a family or group of friends watched the film together it could work out as a saving.

Plus, the convenience of watching a newly released film from the comfort of your own home will surely be appealing to many.

The price of this theatrical rental would drop to around £23 four to six weeks after the initial release, Bloomberg has reported.

Offering movie fans the chance to watch cinema releases at their home would surely have an impact on the number of people that use torrent sites.

With poor quality footage recorded on cameras often been distributed via torrents, the Apple plan would surely be far more appealing to many.

And with the threat of harsher punishments coming into force this year, Apple’s cinema streaming plan could be the knockout blow for online piracy.

The pricing structure Apple are considering is the same that Warner Bros have reportedly been considering for their own cinema streaming service.

Express.co.uk previously reported how torrent sites were fearing for their futures, with Google Chrome’s upcoming ad blocker expected to have a big impact.

Chrome is the world’s most popular browser, and the leading browser for many torrent websites.

The upcoming ad blocker is expected to have a big effect on torrent sites and the revenue they bring in.

Adverts that will be affected are those which don’t fall within the “better ads standards” including pop-up ads.

The owner of one torrent site, who did not want to be named, told TorrentFreak that the Google Chrome ad blocker could signal the end of torrents.

They said: “The torrent site economy is in a bad state. Profits are very low. Profits are f***** compared to previous years.

“Chrome’s ad-blocker will kill torrent sites. If they don’t at least cover their costs, no one is going to use money out of his pocket to keep them alive.

“I won’t be able to do so at least.”

Just a few months ago, one popular torrent site - TorrentHound - shut down citing a lack in revenue as one of the main reasons.

If torrent sites are unable to generate enough revenue through advertisements, they have few options left to keep running.

This year popular torrent websites like Kickass Torrents, ExtraTorrent and Torrentz.eu have all shut down.

The penalties for online piracy have also become more severe this year thanks to the Digital Economy Act becoming law.

The new law raised the maximum possible sentence for online copyright infringement offences from two to 10 years.

The maximum sentence will only apply to people who commit serious copyright crimes, such as distributing content.