Apple saved its biggest star for last for its new product announcements on Monday. Oprah Winfrey took the stage to give a few details on her plans for Apple’s newly unveiled streaming service.
Winfrey says she has two documentaries in the works for Apple TV-Plus and is planning “the most stimulating book club on the planet.” The TV personality says that will include streamed conversations with authors.
Winfrey received a standing ovation during her appearance at Apple’s announcement event Monday in Cupertino, California.
She told the audience, “There has never been a moment quite like this one. We have this unique opportunity to rise to our best selves in how we use, and choose to use, both our technology and our humanity.”
Winfrey followed a lineup of Hollywood stars that will be a part of Apple Plus, including Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston and J.J. Abrams.
She said, “I’m joining forces with Apple. They’re in a billion pockets, y’all.”
Apple announced new products and services during a media event at its headquarters in California, including news to video games and a credit card.
‘Great storytelling’
The tech giant’s long-awaited video streaming service will be called Apple TV Plus and include original programming that CEO Time Cook says will show “great storytelling.”
The service will compete with Netflix and Amazon Video. Apple is unveiling it at an event Monday at its Cupertino, California headquarters.
Apple also noted that its Apple TV app brings together different streaming services and traditional cable subscriptions.
Apple execs introduced the streaming service “coupled with an updated Apple TV app, making it available across the entire range of Apple devices including the Mac,” AppleInsider reported.
“Apple’s new Apple TV app is an evolution of the a la carte model, with Apple promising you can only pay for what you want, watch it in one app, online or off, with family sharing enabled from the start,” reported William Gallagher.
Netflix, which didn’t show up during Apple’s presentation, turned “binge watching” into a worldwide phenomenon several years ago. Apple’s new video service is expected to have original TV shows and movies that reportedly cost it more than $1 billion — far less than Netflix and HBO spend every year.
Making must-have TV shows and movies that are watchable on any device has turned Netflix into a force in both Silicon Valley and Hollywood.
But Apple remained focused on making on gadgets: iPhones, iPads, computers and its Apple TV streaming box for TVs. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs began toying with the idea of building a powerful TV business, but he couldn’t pull it off before his death in 2011. It has taken his successor, CEO Tim Cook, nearly eight years to draw up the script that the company will now try to execute.
Streaming video services have skyrocketed in popularity in the past several years. Research firm eMarketer expects 205 million people in the U.S. will watch streaming video this year.
Apple is a late entrant to the streaming market, where Netflix has been dominant for more than a decade.
First news of the day: The addition of a news subscription service Apple is calling “News +.”
Cook also announced the “Apple Card.”
The credit card
Apple Insider describes it as “a new payment service that is part of Apple Pay designed to make it easier for customers to use a credit card, taking advantage of the functionality of the iPhone and iOS to make the card easy to acquire, and to use.”
Apple says the card will make it easier to see what merchants charged you. It uses Apple Maps to show users where they spend their money. This is in contrast to the sometimes-confusing alphabet soup people can see on their credit card statements.
Apple unveiled the card at an event Monday at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. The company is emphasizing privacy and says it won’t know what you bought or where.
The card will live in the wallet section of the iPhone, though customers will also get a physical card made of titanium.
It will include a rewards program of 2 percent back on all transactions. Apple says the card has no late fees, annual fees or fees for going over the credit limit. It’s a Mastercard issued by Goldman Sachs.
Gaming service
Next, says Insider: Apple Arcade, an iOS gaming service that will cater to gamers using iPhones.
Apple Arcade subscribers will get to play more than 100 games, curated by Apple. The games will be exclusive to Apple’s service. Games can be downloaded and played offline — on the Apple-made iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.
Notably, Apple says all games in this service will allow unlimited play and will have no in-app purchases, which are common on mobile games. Though many mobile games are given out for free, players can rack up hundreds of dollars for optional extras such as virtual weapons.
Apple says the Arcade subscription will be available this fall. The company did not say how much it will cost.
Google announced its own video game streaming service last week. That service focuses more on traditional video games, though it will also allow games to be played on phones and tablets.
The news service
The news service includes some 300 newspapers and magazines. The cost: $9.99 a month, says TechCrunch.
Apple says the article recommendations will be made on your device, not Apple’s servers, and advertisers won’t be able to track you.
That sets it apart from other places people read news, such as Facebook and Google. Facebook, for instance, might target ads based on your past reading of specific publications or topics, such as gun control or the environment.
Analysis: Look for Apple to unveil new video platform, not a Netflix clone
The iPhone has long been Apple’s marquee product and main money maker, but sales are starting to decline. The company is pushing digital subscriptions as it searches for new growth.
Making must-have TV shows and movies that are watchable on any device has propelled Netflix into a force in both Silicon Valley and Hollywood.
But Apple remained focused on making on gadgets: iPhones, iPads, computers and its Apple TV streaming box for TVs. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs began toying with the idea of building a powerful TV business, but he couldn’t pull it off before his death in 2011. It has taken his successor, CEO Tim Cook, nearly eight years to draw up the script that the company will now try to execute.
“Apple is very late to this game,” eMarketer analyst Paul Verna said. “Netflix has become the gold standard in how to create and distribute content, using all the data they have about their viewers.”
Report: Streaming tops pay TV as video programming choice for first time
Netflix’s prowess has attracted 139 million subscribers worldwide. But Apple will have several other deep-pocketed competitors fighting for consumers’ dollars. Amazon has also become a formidable force in video streaming. Walt Disney Co. is launching its own service this year, armed with an imposing library that became more formidable with its purchase of 21st Century Fox’s films and TV series. AT&T is debuting another streaming service built around HBO.
Apple has plenty of money to spend, though, with about $245 billion in cash and marketable securities. It must prove itself attractive to Hollywood even without a track record for supporting high-quality programming and then ensuring it gets widely seen.
As part of its efforts to make quick connections, Apple hired two longtime Sony television executives, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, in 2017. They have reportedly signed up stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Aniston.
Netflix CEO’s priorities: Amazing, personalized, relevant content
