Apple is diving head-first into the streaming wars, with a new slate of original programming.
That sounds great, but what does it all mean?
From the shows you'll get to the price you'll pay for it, we've rounded up everything you
need to know about Apple TV+.
"Let's talk about Apple TV+."
Everyone clutching their wallets can breathe a sigh of relief.
Apple TV+ is going to be among the most affordable of the major streaming services, launching
at only $4.99 per month.
This is less than half the cost of Netflix's most popular plan, which is $12.99 per month,
or Hulu's ad-free plan at $11.99.
It's also less than a third of the cost of the upcoming HBO Max, which is likely to cost
anywhere from $15 to $18 per month.
More comparable to the price point of Apple TV+ are CBS All Access at $5.99 per month,
Hulu's $5.99 ad-supported plan, and Disney+, which will cost $6.99 per month when it launches
in November.
However, for early birds who jumped on Disney's special offer and paid up-front in August
of 2019, they'll have gotten the best bargain of all, snagging Disney+ for three years for
less than $4 per month.
It's a commitment, but a cheap commitment.
Right now, Apple TV+ can't compete with that not unless they also decide to roll out a
similar discount, designed to tie subscribers to their service for a few years.
Just a little over seven months after the tech company first announced their new streaming
service, Apple TV+ will hit screens beginning on November 1, 2019.
The app will launch simultaneously in over 100 countries and regions, meaning that no
matter where you're located, there's a pretty good chance you'll be able to access the service
before the end of the year.
This is a significantly larger reach than Disney+, which launches two weeks later in
only three countries.
Disney has said they expect their streaming service to be available in all major markets
within two years, which means it will likely take them a while to catch up to Apple's substantial
lead.
However, the scope of both services pales in comparison to Netflix, which is already
available in more than 190 countries, and is probably their most formidable competition.
Unlike other streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, which stream their own
original movies and TV series alongside an expansive catalog of licensed and archival
content, Apple TV+ intends to launch with an all-original slate of movies and shows.
Apple has reportedly spent upwards of $6 billion on their original content, which includes
a number of new shows starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
So far, we know of nine confirmed titles that will be available upon the service's launch
on November 1, 2019, although more are likely on the way.
These include The Morning Show, a behind the scenes TV drama starring Jennifer Aniston,
Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell;
See, a speculative sci-fi series starring Jason Momoa;
and Dickinson, a comedic take on the life of poet Emily Dickinson starring Hailee Steinfeld.
Also at launch, Apple TV+ will boast the new series Ghostwriter, Helpsters, For All Mankind,
and an original show from Oprah focusing on the topic of mental health.
Dozens of other shows are also in various stages of production, with release dates still
to be announced.
"We'll go to Mars.
Saturn.
Stars.
The galaxy."
While Apple TV+ will be launching with a number of original series and the company has said
that feature films will be a significant part of its offering going forward, only two feature-length
originals have been announced to be available at launch.
One is the documentary The Elephant Queen, which is narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor and
follows a mother elephant and her herd on their search for a new watering hole.
The other is Snoopy in Space, an animated film focusing on the Peanuts characters.
Otherwise, Apple has announced only one feature film in the works: On the Rocks, starring
Bill Murray and Rashida Jones and directed by Sofia Coppola, which will follow a young
mother as she attempts to reconnect to her wealthy father.
Despite the slim pickings at launch, Apple does intend to build a robust slate of original
films to stream alongside its original series.
In November of 2018, the company announced its partnership with film studio A24, which
will produce multiple films that will play on Apple TV+.
A24's past films include numerous Oscar winners and nominees, including Lady Bird, Ex Machina,
and Moonlight.
Their deal with Apple seems to indicate that not only will the tech giant be taking its
film slate seriously, but that it'll also be angling for some major awards.
Although Apple TV+'s five-dollar price point is about as affordable as streaming service
subscriptions come, there's a way to get your subscription for even less money month-to-month,
although it requires a hefty up-front cost.
Starting on September 10, 2019, Apple began including a free year-long subscription to
Apple TV+ with the purchase of any new or refurbished iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch,
or Mac.
Plus, through the use of Family Sharing, up to five more of your family members can also
access the service using your free subscription.
However, "free" in this case is only from a certain point of view.
While it's true that your bank account won't be charged the $4.99 per month fee for Apple
TV+ if you purchase a new Apple device, you're still out the cost of the device.
So as tempting as the idea of a "free" year-long subscription might seem, it's probably only
a good deal if you were already in the market for a new Apple device anyway.
Once Apple TV+ launches, there will be a number of convenient ways for you to access the service
assuming, that is, you're already an Apple customer.
The Apple TV app comes pre-installed on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and iPod touch.
In order to play Apple TV+ content, your device will likely need to be running a recent version
of Apple's software, meaning you'll need to have updated to iOS 12.3 or later, tvOS 12.3
or later, or macOS Catalina.
You'll also be able to access the Apple TV app through some Samsung smart TVs, and in
the future, you can expect to see the app show up on Amazon Fire TV, LG, Roku, Sony,
and VIZIO platforms.
However, if you don't own an Apple device or a supported Samsung TV, and if you're not
in the market to upgrade your devices to a supported model in the near future, your only
option for watching Apple TV+ content will be through your web browser at tv.apple.com,
where you can sign up for the service and stream content.
Unlike Disney+, which supports a wider variety of devices, Apple has announced no plans to
make their app available on Chromecast, PlayStation, Xbox, or Android devices.
"What happened to your TV?"
"We had a disagreement."
Although most of the shows and movies currently announced for Apple TV+ will be in English,
the service will have a number of options available to make its content more accessible
for subscribers who speak other languages or are hard of hearing.
At launch, Apple TV+ content will be subtitled or dubbed in nearly 40 different languages,
including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and closed captions.
Additionally, all of the content available on Apple TV+ will be available with audio
descriptions in eight languages.
In order to activate a show or film's accessibility features and change your audio options, you'll
simply go to the title's information page in the iTunes store or Apple TV app and scroll
to either the Languages or Accessibility section, depending on which functionality you need.
More information on how to enable subtitles or audio descriptions in your Apple TV app
is available on Apple's website.
Oftentimes, it can be convenient to be able to download a show or film from a streaming
service to watch offline.
Maybe you're traveling or heading to a place with limited internet access, or maybe your
internet connection is glitchy and you want to ensure you'll be able to watch your selection
without worrying that it will start freezing or skipping.
Fortunately, Apple has confirmed that Apple TV+ will include a download option for its
original content, giving you the freedom to save a title to your device to watch at your
convenience, no matter where you are.
What's less clear is exactly what sorts of restrictions Apple will be placing on downloads.
It's likely that the service may place limits on how many shows you can download at one
time, or on how many times you can download the same show.
It also may restrict your ability to download the same show or film on multiple devices
at once, and download options may vary depending on your subscription option and what sort
of device you're using.
It's almost hard to remember a time when streaming services didn't grant us access to entire
seasons of television series all at once.
Netflix popularized the full-season binge model, which is also how Amazon Prime releases
their series.
Other services such as Hulu and the upcoming Disney+, though, go against that trend by
sticking to a one-new-episode-per-week schedule.
Now, every time a new streaming service is announced, one of the first questions potential
subscribers ask is whether its shows will be released all at once, or one episode at
a time.
Apple TV+ will actually be taking a bit of a hybrid approach to their release schedule,
marrying binge and weekly release models together for a format that allows viewers to binge
just enough to get hooked on a series, but then requires them to exercise patience for
the rest.
While some series will have their full seasons become available all at once, most Apple TV+
shows will premiere with three episodes, and then move to a one-a-week schedule.
So if you want to binge an entire season of an Apple TV+ show in one sitting, you're out
of luck unless you're willing to wait until after the full season has aired.
Unlike other streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and CBS All Access, or
upcoming services such as Disney+ and HBO Max, Apple TV+ is unique in its approach to
its streaming library, in that it won't include any licensed content at all.
Basically, what this means is that you shouldn't expect to see any old favorites show up on
Apple TV+.
Their entire streaming library will be made up of originals that haven't ever previously
aired anywhere else, and which you won't be able to find on any other streaming service.
Everything you watch on Apple TV+ can only be watched on Apple TV+, and won't include
anything you've ever seen before.
This explains Apple's staggering $6 billion investment in original content for Apple TV+.
Since it will be the only streaming service with an entirely original slate of shows and
films, it makes sense that the company is sinking a significant amount of money into
making sure they produce a wide variety of high quality content that will keep viewers
engaged.
However, it's worth noting that Apple's budget still doesn't come close to the money Netflix
spends on original content, which is expected to hit $15 billion by the end of 2019.
For individuals curious about Apple TV+ who don't necessarily want to commit to the $4.99
per month subscription cost, and don't want to purchase a new device in order to receive
a free subscription, you're still kind of in luck.
Apple TV+ will be offering a free seven-day trial for customers new to the service, starting
at launch on November 1.
The free trial will give subscribers access to all of the service's features, and will
be available across all of their devices, just like the paid service.
At the end of the seven days, your Apple TV+ subscription will automatically renew at the
$4.99 per month rate, which will then continue to renew monthly until you cancel the service.
In order to avoid being charged after your trial, you'll need to make sure to cancel
the subscription before your seven days are complete but of course, by then, Apple is
hoping you'll be hooked on the streaming service, and will gladly shell out your hard-earned
five dollars per month in order to keep watching.
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