Oprah, Tim Cook, and an array of celebrities assembled in Cupertino on Monday to unveil the new Apple TV+ streaming service.
Among its headline titles are The Morning Show, featuring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and Little America by Kumail Nanjiani. Apple also revealed plans to make this subscription service accessible through its revamped Apple TV app, extending its reach to Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.
Despite the wealth of information we received about Apple TV+, there remain numerous unanswered questions.
Arguably, the most pressing query regarding Apple TV+ is the monthly subscription cost. Apple did not disclose this information, pledging to provide pricing details "later this fall," presumably closer to the service's launch.
As most individuals are already subscribing to various streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, and others, adding TV+ to the list could considerably strain monthly budgets. Without pricing details, it is impossible to determine whether Apple's promise of hundreds of original shows on TV+ justifies the cost.
Apple has successfully attracted renowned figures such as Steven Spielberg and Oprah. Ideally, consumers would be willing to pay for TV+ alongside services like Netflix (starting at $12.99), Prime Video ($9.99 per month), and Hulu (starting at $5.99 per month).
If Apple TV+ is reasonably priced at $6, it could find its place in the streaming landscape. However, requesting an additional $15 might be a stretch for some.
Marathon-watching TV has become synonymous with streaming services ever since Netflix released the entire season of House of Cards back in 2013. Later, services like Hulu joined the trend of producing original content but chose to release their shows weekly, as if adhering to a cable TV schedule.
Releasing content on a weekly basis indicates that Apple intends its shows to be week-to-week conversation starters, possibly featuring episodes that conclude with significant revelations and cliffhangers. Conversely, releasing entire seasons at once suggests that Apple aims to engage viewers for extended periods, encouraging binge-watching to stay current with popular content.
It's 2019, and providing a subpar video or audio experience is no longer acceptable. True to Apple's style, the company offered limited details about the quality of its original programming.
Will the content be available in 4K resolution? Will it support HDR with Dolby Vision or HDR10? Can viewers expect Dolby Atmos surround sound? Is the quality consistent for downloads, and what will be the average file size?
If it does not stream in the highest image and audio quality, will Apple offer a more affordable HD-resolution plan, akin to Netflix's offerings?
Presumably, TV+ content will be available in 4K, HDR, and with Dolby Atmos, similar to the way some iTunes movies and TV shows are presented. However, without official details from Apple, we cannot be certain. It is challenging to imagine Apple making its content available in anything less than HD.
At present, all shows announced for Apple TV+ are produced by Apple for Apple. This approach allows Apple to maintain full control over its shows during the initial stages of the service. However, it is also a substantial and potentially unsustainable investment as Apple TV+ matures.
If Apple continues to exclusively feature its own content on Apple TV+, it will need to evaluate the value of each show as a subscriber retention factor meticulously. Alternatively, if they choose to distribute content from other studios, their initial investment in each show will be less. In this scenario, Apple would also directly compete with Netflix, the primary streaming platform for numerous production studios.