Apple TV+ to reportedly launch in November for $9.99 a month
A report on Monday puts a date to Apple's upcoming Apple TV+ launch, saying current plans are to launch the subscription service in November for a monthly fee of $9.99.
Steven Spielberg at Apple's special video event in March.
Citing sources familiar with Apple's plans, Bloomberg reports the streaming service debut will arrive in November with a limited slate of shows. Following Apple's services rubric, the video product will likely be offered as a free trial as more shows are added over the coming months.
Apple TV+ is said to launch with a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories," a series about unusual homes called "Homes," news drama "The Morning Show," Jason Momoa vehicle "See" and "Truth Be Told." Other shows are in the works and should hit Apple TV+ over the next year.
Unlike Netflix and Amazon, which air entire series at one go, Apple is thinking about releasing three episodes of a given show on day one and following up with weekly installments, the report said. Segment competitor Hulu typically follows a weekly release schedule like those adopted by broadcast and cable channels.
The report is less clear on a subscription price for Apple TV+, saying Apple is mulling a monthly fee of $9.99. If true, Apple would field three subscription services -- Apple Music, Apple News and Apple TV+ -- for the same going rate.
Echoing recent reports, Bloomberg sources say Apple is spending big on new content in a bid to lure customers away from incumbents like Netflix and Amazon. For example, the company is supposedly spending some $300 million for two seasons of the star-studded "The Morning Show."
Earlier today, the Financial Times claimed Apple committed $6 billion to original programming. The sum is a far cry from an estimated $15 billion Netflix intends to spend this year, but is well over initial expectations of a $1 billion outlay from Apple.
Apple TV+ was unveiled at a special event in March, where Apple trotted out Hollywood celebrities attached to its various projects. Directors Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, actors Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Jason Momoa and Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey took the stage to introduce upcoming shows, series and specials.
Steven Spielberg at Apple's special video event in March.
Citing sources familiar with Apple's plans, Bloomberg reports the streaming service debut will arrive in November with a limited slate of shows. Following Apple's services rubric, the video product will likely be offered as a free trial as more shows are added over the coming months.
Apple TV+ is said to launch with a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories," a series about unusual homes called "Homes," news drama "The Morning Show," Jason Momoa vehicle "See" and "Truth Be Told." Other shows are in the works and should hit Apple TV+ over the next year.
Unlike Netflix and Amazon, which air entire series at one go, Apple is thinking about releasing three episodes of a given show on day one and following up with weekly installments, the report said. Segment competitor Hulu typically follows a weekly release schedule like those adopted by broadcast and cable channels.
The report is less clear on a subscription price for Apple TV+, saying Apple is mulling a monthly fee of $9.99. If true, Apple would field three subscription services -- Apple Music, Apple News and Apple TV+ -- for the same going rate.
Echoing recent reports, Bloomberg sources say Apple is spending big on new content in a bid to lure customers away from incumbents like Netflix and Amazon. For example, the company is supposedly spending some $300 million for two seasons of the star-studded "The Morning Show."
Earlier today, the Financial Times claimed Apple committed $6 billion to original programming. The sum is a far cry from an estimated $15 billion Netflix intends to spend this year, but is well over initial expectations of a $1 billion outlay from Apple.
Apple TV+ was unveiled at a special event in March, where Apple trotted out Hollywood celebrities attached to its various projects. Directors Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, actors Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Jason Momoa and Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey took the stage to introduce upcoming shows, series and specials.
Comments
I really think Apple are missing the mark on this. I’m confident - in a years time - they will have to rethink
this strategy.
Even at this price Prime is looking like it's a 2 months a year kind of service due to content limitations like many of the other players in the market. Apple really need a rabbit in the hat to be more than a 2month casual subscription.
That said, Apple's "services business" alone is already more than twice as big as Netflix's entire business, judging from last quarter's reported revenues... and it is only going to get bigger (Apple's services revenue is growing at almost 20% per year, while Netflix has had to raise $2.2 billion in further debt since October 2018).
The problem that Netflix has is the same problem that Spotify has... they do not have another source of revenue with which to subsidise the growth of their main business, so it is funded on mounting debt. This is not a bad thing if there is a point in the future where revenues start to exceed expenses - but the streaming wars are just beginning, and all the services are going to be spending more and more on original content over the next decade or so. Amazon and Apple, on the other hand, can run their streaming services at a loss or break-even for the next decade (subsidised by their other revenue streams) while they build up their libraries to more competitive levels. That is why I expected Apple to launch at about $5.99.
If Apple launch at $9.99 and a library of 20-odd middling shows, then it is going to be a long slow journey for them. But if they have one or two Game of Thrones level blockbusters, the total number of shows may not matter so much. People will pay the $9.99 a month so that they can escape reality to an Apple-made fantasy world for a few hours a week if Apple delivers a reasonably compelling fantasy story for them to believe in.
"I don't want a watch!"
"Market already saturated!"
"Too expensive!"
"Why would I want an iPhone when my Nokia works perfectly fine?"
So much hypocrisy. You realize TV+ is ALSO offering content "that won't be available anywhere else"?
Actually TV+ content is even more exclusive as some Arcade games are available on consoles already.
"and that's assuming I'm going to like EVERYTHING"
Same logic with Arcade. What makes you assume you'll like EVERYTHING on Apple Arcade?
Sanity!