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Apple TV+ Revealed

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Apple TV App

The updated Apple TV app

Today, Apple unveiled their TV subscription plan, Apple TV+, and it’s okay to be a little confused about it. Apple is being surprisingly vague as well. In fact, their website for Apple TV+ has almost no content at all. All that it has told us is that Apple will have original content exclusive to their platform. But what else? Well, Apple’s pave made me miss acting and wish I was writing more fiction, but… beyond that? I’m still not sure.

What is Apple TV+?

Does Apple even know?

Let’s dive into Apple TV+ a little more and see if we can figure out what the hell this thing is going to be.

Original Programming and Apple Channels

“Apple’s Original Video Subscription Service in the All-New Apple TV App will Give Users Access to Exclusive Original Shows, Movies and Documentaries.”

– Apple’s Press Release

Let’s get what we know out of the way. Apple TV+ will have original programming. There will be dramas and comedies, movies and TV shows. Apple will even give us a few documentaries. We’ll see content from famous creators, talk show hosts, and actors.

“Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, Jason Momoa, M. Night Shyamalan, Jon M. Chu and more.”

– From Apple’s Press Release


Apple says they’ll offer channels like “HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX, Tastemade, Noggin, and new services like MTV Hits,” but hasn’t stated pricing. Will users be able to pick 5 and get a reduced price? We don’t know yet. This part sounds like the existing Apple TV solution, with third party services like HBO Go and Netflix making up Apple’s content. However, now it’ll all be in one place, easy to find and pay for.

New App, R.I.P., iTunes

The Apple TV won’t be the only place to watch TV. It’ll also be on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This suggests that Apple is getting ready to eliminate iTunes. The Apple TV app would cover videos and a new macOS Apple Music app would be for music and podcasts. The TV app will be a better place to find movies or TV shows than iTunes was, by bringing together third party services and apps under one platform.

That’s not all though. An Apple TV app will also come to Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku boxes, and smart TVs. Apple’s making a clear shift from products to services. It’s as huge gamble, reminiscent of Apple in the 90’s when they licensed macOS to inferior third party manufacturers. The result was damaging to Apple’s brand. Will it pay off today, when people seem to care less about hardware?

When and for How Much?

Sports on Apple TVOnly Apple knows for sure. Sometime this fall, Apple will introduce Apple TV+. Fortunately, an updated Apple TV app will released earlier, in May, making subscribing to channels easy. Beyond that, we don’t know anything about precise release dates or pricing.

Honestly?

It seems like this presentation was a bigger surprise to Apple than it was to anyone else. They came in as prepared as a student who forgot their book report until 5 minutes before the class and are desperately trying to read the Sparknotes before the bell. There was a whole lot of fluff and very little sustenance. Perhaps that’s why Apple’s stocks fell slightly today. No one’s sure if Apple’s Apple TV+ and Apple Channels will be able to take on other services and streaming solutions.

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