Apple’s Video Streaming Service Apple TV+ Launches Today

After months of speculation and wait, Apple is officially making its video streaming service available to the public. Apple TV+ is now available, starting at a price of $4.99 a month. The service is launching in more than 100 countries, with the first Apple Originals subtitled and/or dubbed in nearly 40 languages.

Apple TV+ is Apple’s own video streaming service, with the company investing billions into original shows and movies. At launch, Apple TV+ will have a number of different shows, but the quantity is very limited. Apple is going for quality here, so it’s content range is tremendously lower than that of Netflix or Disney+, as you’d expect.

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Apple TV+ costs $4.99 a month, as Apple previously announced. Apple (thankfully) isn’t limiting the service to its own devices, so you can watch it through a browser on tv.apple.com, or you can watch it on supported TVs like Samsung and Sony TVs, or streaming boxes like the Fire TV.

Apple does have some offers for its customers, though. Those who purchase a new iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple TV will get a free 1-year subscription to the service, and Apple Music Students subscribers will get Apple TV+ for free with their Apple Music Students subscription (which costs $4.99 a month). As for everyone else, you can try out a 7-day free trial. Apple also offers the annual subscription for Apple TV+ at a cheaper price than the monthly pricing.

As for the actual shows that are premiering today, you can look forward to The Morning Show, See, For All Mankind, Dickinson, Helpsters, Ghostwriter, Snoopy in Space, and Oprah’s Book Club. There’s also a documentary called The Elephant Queen. All these shows are being released today, with Apple releasing some shows with all episodes, while others are only coming out with three episodes on a weekly basis. You can watch all the Apple Originals in 4K HDR with Dolby Vision, and you can also download content for offline viewing. Like Netflix, Apple TV+ will also allow you to share an account with 6 other members.

Apple TV+’s limited catalog is going to be a challenge for the company, but Apple is still promising new shows and movies every month, so that could improve very soon. Still, the $4.99 a month pricing is really impressive, and the deals offered by Apple will make Apple TV+ really accessible to those who already use Apple products.

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Conversation 15 comments

  • Jippa Wip

    01 November, 2019 - 7:37 am

    <p>The reviews for the 4 main shows are not great. Variety and particularly THR have slated them. </p><p>Not a good start to be honest. </p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 November, 2019 - 11:32 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#485496">In reply to Jippa Wip:</a></em></blockquote><p>Who listens to the so called experts when it comes to movies and TV shows? It's the reason Rotten Tomatoes gives a critics score and an audience score.</p>

      • truerock2

        01 November, 2019 - 6:11 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#485534">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>That is a good point. I usually sort a list of items by critics' scores first and then look for good normal-people scores to go with it. It's weird when the critics and normal-people are diametrically opposed about a particular movie, song, etc.</p>

  • ghostrider

    01 November, 2019 - 8:27 am

    <p>Looks like some very dodgy (ie poor) content to kick start the service. You've seriously got to already be living up Tim Apple's a*se to sign up for this.</p>

    • MikeGalos

      01 November, 2019 - 9:04 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#485509">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>But that can't be true since Mehedi told us that, unlike Netflix and Disney+, Apple is going for quality.</p>

      • pecosbob04

        01 November, 2019 - 2:59 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#485511"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a><em> Mike you continue to amaze me. The only one taking a cheap shot at Disney / Netflix is you. The "unlike" doesn't appear in the article either implied or explicitly. And I think it would be intuitively obvious to a box of rocks that Disney / Netflix by reputation and size will dwarf Apple's quality offerings, at least initially. </em></blockquote><blockquote><em>I think an accurate reading of Mehedi's statement is Apple is the new kid on the block in this arena and instead of dishing up tons of filler crap to hype the number of offerings they prefer to build slowly with what they hope / perceive to be quality offerings. But hey there I go putting words in someones mouth or perhaps we should call it "pulling a Mikey."</em></blockquote><p>'</p>

        • MikeGalos

          02 November, 2019 - 11:46 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#485586">In reply to pecosbob04:</a></em></blockquote><p>No. I'm saying Mehedi took a cheap shot at Disney and Netflix to excuse Apple's tiny amount of poor content by implying that, unlike the leaders, Apple was focusing on quality.</p>

          • pecosbob04

            02 November, 2019 - 1:18 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#485722">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote><p>"<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Apple is going for quality here, so it’s content range is tremendously lower than that of Netflix or Disney+, as you’d expect." </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sorry Mike not seeing a shot being taken in that statement. As opposed to </span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"</span>Apple's tiny amount of poor content" </p><p>which definitely would be a shot at Apple. </p><p><br></p><p>Unless of course you are actually a part of the Apple team (in your dreams) and have had early access to the content and personally determined the "poor" ness of the offering. Wait maybe you are on the Apple team which might explain your vastly higher engagement with Apple posts than any other posts on this site. Perhaps an agent <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588);">provocateur</span> to trigger the Apple fans at this site thus causing us / them to send even more of our cash to Cupertino. Yeah that's the ticket. Works for me. Keep up the good work. (Long on AAPL here)</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 November, 2019 - 11:33 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#485509">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>Maybe for you, but I think some of the shows sound interesting and I'm looking forward to trying them out.</p>

  • jgraebner

    Premium Member
    01 November, 2019 - 1:30 pm

    <p>I remember a post and discussion a couple months ago about Apple supposedly going for a "family friendly" strategy for TV+. In light of that, I'm surprised to see that 5 of the launch shows are TV-MA, including the heavily promoted "The Morning Report", "See" and "For All Mankind". There is also one R-rated original feature film at launch. </p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      02 November, 2019 - 1:53 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#485564">In reply to jgraebner:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's why rumors and speculation are a waste of time. Although both The Morning Show and For All Mankind are really tame when compared to HBO. I think The Morning Show got TV-MA for language. I don't remember anything that would cause the first episode of For All Mankind to get that though.</p><p><br></p><p>That said I enjoyed both of the first episodes of those shows.</p>

      • jgraebner

        Premium Member
        09 November, 2019 - 1:26 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#485746">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>I haven't gotten around to watching "For All Mankind", but I've been enjoying "The Morning Report". I'm not really sure why the reviews on it were so negative. Maybe it is somewhat a matter of expectations? With a cast with a lot of comedy experience, I wasn't expecting it to be as serious as it is (in fact, it is almost humorless), but the acting is very good and I've found the story to be compelling so far.</p><p><br></p><p>I actually think some of the profanity is a bit excessive, frankly. I wouldn't necessarily want it to be profanity-free, but there are times where it feels like they are using profanity just because they can. </p><p><br></p><p>Finally, the constant Apple product placements are so blatant that they are kind of amusing…</p>

  • truerock2

    01 November, 2019 - 6:28 pm

    <p>My family already has subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Comcast/Xfinity (ESPN, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc, etc). Also, occasionally things like Acorn and Channel 4, BBC, etc.</p><p><br></p><p>It is wonderful that there is so much great content out there (as compared to like the 1980s, 1970s, etc). But, I think I'm just about saturated. I don't see my family getting Apple TV+ anytime soon.</p><p><br></p>

  • truerock2

    01 November, 2019 - 8:42 pm

    <p>So, Tim Cook's left hand is definitely not on Reese Witherspoon's body.&nbsp;</p><p>I'm pretty sure his other hand is not touching Jennifer Aniston.&nbsp;</p><p>Tim knows the new-ropes of photo ops.</p><p>Me – I almost never get within 2 feet of anyone… ever – beyond a quick one-pump handshake.</p><p>Flying on a airplane? Keep your hands and elbows inside your zone.</p><p>For a picture like that, maybe stand 4 inches away from everyone with my hands at my side and visible in the photo.</p><p>Unless… obviously there is a very, very clear understanding developed over a significant period of time.</p><p>That's just the way it is now.</p><p>Another new rule… never ever be with someone without trusted eye witnesses.</p><p>So, sure… you want to say I'm being paranoid or overly cautious – but, I am absolutely not.</p><p>I have no objection to the new realities and am happy to play by the new rules.&nbsp;It does not bother me in the least.</p><p><br></p>

    • Thom77

      02 November, 2019 - 3:57 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#485642">In reply to truerock2:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Keanu Reeves does the same thing with his hands in photo ops with women and the media spins it that he is just being a gentleman.</p>

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