Hulu buyout for next-gen Apple TV on the cards?

Apple are reportedly preparing to buy US VOD service Hulu, in a deal that could be worth more than $2 billion according to “two people with knowledge of the auction.”

Such a buyout could be a serious boon for Apple’s so-so Apple TV service, strengthening the video content available from iTunes and turning Steve Jobs’ “hobby” into a serious weapon in Apple’s invasion of consumers’ living rooms.

$2 billion would be relatively like pocket money for Apple at the moment, whose recent earnings call revealed $76.2 billion worth of spare changes rattling in the Cupertino coffers.

A bid from an unknown company in June has lead to lots of interest in Hulu from the likes of Microsoft, Google and Yahoo. Hulu have promised any buyers that they will have five years access to content from their current owners Disney, News Corp and NBC Universal, with a two year period of exclusivity.