Apple announced recently that it’s launching its own streaming service, Apple TV+, along with a new credit card, video game subscription service and a news subscription app. The launch was announced on at a special Apple event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, in Cupertino California.

Apple Streaming Service

The new streaming service, also known as Apple TV Plus, will have original TV shows and movies that reportedly cost Apple more than $1 billion — for less than Netflix and HBO spend every year. Apple brought out several celebrities during its announcement including Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Steven Spielberg. Apple says its new subscription TV service, competing with Netflix and Amazon, will be available this fall. But the company isn’t saying yet how much the service will cost or when exactly it will launch.

The streaming service will be free of ads and will be available across Apple devices, some smart TVs and the Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices. That’s unusual, as Apple has historically limited its availability on streaming devices to its own Apple TV.

Video Games

Apple says it will launch a subscription service for games this year. 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.

Apple Card

Apple is launching its own credit card, called Apple Card, that can be used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. 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. 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 per cent 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.

Apple News+

Apple says its new subscription News Plus service will not track what you read. The news app will let users read articles from hundreds of magazines, including Rolling Stone, The New Yorker and Cosmopolitan, plus some newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times. Apple says the article recommendations will be made on your device, not Apple’s servers, and advertisers won’t be able to track you. It will cost $10 to subscribe.

The new subscription is a way for Apple to bring in revenue from selling digital subscriptions as sales of the iPhone decline. Apple says 5 billion articles are read on its current Apple News app each month.

Musa Suleiman
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