The report claims that Apple is actually keeping a close eye on the talks between both companies. Apparently prior to AT&T’s talks with Time Warner, Apple had apparently been in talks with the company themselves with regards to a possible merger/acquisition as well. However the report claims that the talks did not progress beyond the preliminary stage, although this report does seem to suggest that Apple might be interested in revisiting it.
What would Apple do with Time Warner if they were to acquire them? Chances are this has nothing to do with tech, but rather it could help Apple further their TV plans. Apple had previously been rumored to be in talks with television networks, but so far for the most part, a lot of their talks have fallen through.
Acquiring the company that owns popular content brands such as HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros. would no doubt be a huge boon for Apple as far as content is concerned. That being said whether or not Apple decides to step in and try and outbid AT&T remains to be seen, but until then the carrier looks like they could potentially be the forerunner.