After a lot of rumors and making us wait for what feels like 10 years, Apple has finally pulled back the curtain and given us a small glimpse into its upcoming streaming service, which will be called Apple TV Plus (stylized as Apple TV+) and is said to be "the new home for the world's most creative storytellers featuring exclusive original shows, movies, and documentaries."
We still don't know when the many programs Apple has ordered to series will make their official debuts, but we do know a little bit about what to expect from the service itself. So here's a brief rundown of everything we know so far.
(Check back often because we will update this post with more information as it becomes available.)
Apple TV+ is launching in fall 2019. Although we don't yet have a specific launch date for the streaming service, we do know that Apple TV+ is scheduled to make its debut sometime this fall, where it will compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and also Disney+, Disney's upcoming streaming service that is also set to launch sometime this fall.
All of the shows coming to Apple TV+
It will be an ad-free service. The on-demand subscription service, which will be available in over 100 countries, will not feature any commercials.
We don't know how much it will cost yet. Apple says it will reveal a price for its streaming service later this year, so we don't know how it compares to other subscription streaming services yet. It's also unclear whether or not there will be different subscription tiers like there is with Netflix and Hulu.
Apple TV " data-image-credit="Apple" data-image-alt-text="‹Apple TV+" data-image-credit-url="" data-image-target-url="" data-image-title="‹Apple TV+" data-image-filename="190325-appletv.jpg" data-image-date-created="2019/03/26" data-image-crop="" data-image-crop-gravity="" data-image-aspect-ratio="" data-image-height="1380" data-image-width="2070" data-image-do-not-crop="" data-image-do-not-resize="" data-image-watermark="" data-lightbox="">It will be available through the Apple TV app, which will be available on Roku, Fire TV, and various smart TVs. In order to maximize its potential audience, Apple is making the Apple TV app available to non-Apple TV users. If you own a Roku or Fire TV stick, or watch your favorite streaming services through a smart TV from a popular manufacturer, you too will have access to Apple TV+ through the Apple TV app.
It's also worth noting that Apple is revamping its Apple TV app. The new version of the app will allow users to bundle existing streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime (Netflix will not be available) as well as pay-TV services such as Canal+, Charter Spectrum, DIRECTV NOW, and PlayStation Vue. The new app, which looks similar to Amazon Prime's interface and will offer suggestions for shows and movies from over 150 streaming apps, will be available this May to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users after a free software update. Mac users will be able to download the new app later this year.
Its talent roster features a number of impressive A-Listers. Apple's ability to snare top-tier talent is nothing short of impressive. Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Chris Evans, Jason Momoa, and Octavia Spencer, among others, are all working with Apple. For more detailed information on the shows that make up Apple's programming slate, click here and here.
You'll be able to download shows for viewing anywhere. One of the best things about streaming services like Netflix and Amazon is the ability to download episodes of your favorite shows for viewing later. Apple TV+ will also allows subscribers to download their favorite shows for viewing offline.