Apple entered into discussions with BT over a pay-TV deal which would see Apple TV boxes distributed through the operator’s mobile brand EE, The Telegraph reported.

Under the arrangement, EE would offer customers Apple TV boxes preloaded with a number of apps, BT’s sports channel and others from various broadcasters.

EE already allows customers to add an Apple TV to a service plan for £15 per month. But The Telegraph noted a new deal could help Apple push its hardware into more homes to balance an expected $1 billion investment in original content for 2019.

Apple inked a similar deal with Swiss operator Salt, launching an IPTV platform earlier this year using the Apple TV hardware in place of a standard set-top box. Apple also wormed its way into Verizon’s fixed wireless 5G launch, as the operator announced plans to offer subscribers the choice of Apple TV or YouTube TV with their subscription.

Its efforts appear to be paying off. During an earnings call in July, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted Apple TV recorded “very, very strong double digit” growth in unit sales and revenue in the company’s fiscal Q3 (the three months to end-June).

During the quarter, the company’s Other Products business, which includes Apple TV along with its wearables and HomePod, posted a 37 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to $3.7 billion.