AN AUDACIOUS TILT FOR ORIGINAL
PROGRAMMING WITH APPLE TV+
There’s been something of a trend lately
of technology companies creating original
programming for their own streaming services,
so Apple won’t exactly be entering a sparse
field of competitors when its Apple TV+ service
debuts its first shows on November 1.
Indeed, Apple will be squaring off with the likes
of Netflix and Disney in this regard, with both
of those media titans having seen their stocks
tumble in the wake of the keynote. However,
if there’s anything that got investors in those
firms especially jittery, it was probably Apple’s
unveiling of its aggressive pricing approach for
its own service.
The mere $4.99 a month asking price for Apple
TV+ is a long way below the about $9.
that analysts were expecting – but just as
significantly, it also undercuts the $8.99 that
Netflix charges for its most basic plan, and the
$6.99 that Disney+ will be priced at when
it arrives on November 12. Oh, and as if to
further send its competitors scurrying, Apple
confirmed that one year of the service would
come with all future purchases of MacBooks,
iPhones and iPads – an announcement that
brought audible expressions of amazement
from those in attendance.
Having said this, we aren’t exactly accustomed
to Apple positioning itself as the ‘bargain
basement’ option for pretty much anything,
and it doesn’t look like the company wants to
be seen to be heading in this direction with
Apple TV+, either.