Apple is holding a big keynote event early tomorrow morning, and it’s expected to announce and detail its upcoming video streaming service, among some other things.
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While the Netflix rival is the most anticipated item on the agenda, rumours are swirling around other possible announcements it may be making. Here’s what’s likely coming.
Video Streaming Service
Unlike its regular September briefing, this one is very likely to focus on new services rather than hardware. Due to a decrease in iPhone sales over the past couple of years, Apple will be looking for new ways to take the dollars out of your wallet, and this is one of a few ways it’s going to try.
We already know Apple has spent around a billion dollars on its Netflix competitor, but we don’t really know what form it’s going to take just yet and how it’s going to differentiate itself from competitors. It is, however, expected to have a collection of at least 25 original shows including comedies, dramas, docos, and more.
Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, J.J. Abrams, and Stephen Spielberg, are all on board with the service and some of them may even be at tomorrow’s event.
At the end of the day, Apple wouldn’t bother delving into the space if it didn’t have something big up its sleeve, so I think it’s safe to say it’ll be pulling out all stops tomorrow. One analyst even thinks the company may offer its original content to iOS users for free simply to get more people watching.
There are also whispers that the service will include programming from HBO, Showtime, and Starz, which would be a pretty huge pull from a local perspective, but it’s unlikely Apple will be able to pry the licensing for HBO from Foxtel, which is sure to hold onto it for as long as they possibly can, or at least until Game of Thrones is over.
News Subscription Service
Another service expected to launch tomorrow, this one is more of a “Netflix for news” type of deal. Essentially, you would pay one monthly subscription fee for access to a whole bunch of news sites and magazines which would usually be behind their own paywall.
The plan caused controversy earlier this year after it was discovered that Apple is demanding 50 per cent of the profits from subscriptions, with the rest to be divided among publishers based on how well their content performs. In other words, it’s a shithouse deal for publishers, particularly smaller ones.
In terms of bigger publishers, The New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal are all expected to be on board with the service.
Gaming Service
Just like everyone else out there, Apple wants a slice of the gaming industry pie, but it’ll probably approach it differently to, say, Google, which just unveiled its game streaming service, Stadia.
Like the above, this one will aim to be a “Netflix for gaming,” serving up an all-you-can-eat buffet of iOS games for iPhone and iPad users in one place. It’s a good idea, particularly if the price is agreeable and the selection is decent.
Apple Credit Card
Yeah, this is weird as hell, but according to Bloomberg, Apple might be gearing up to launch its own credit card. If true, it would be a part of the upcoming iOS 12.2 update, as well as a partnership with Goldman Sachs.
Of course, this would be a digital card which would reside in your iPhone’s Wallet app, but essentially function as a normal card, offering rewards and other perks.
Whatever the company announces, we’ll know all about it all tomorrow morning. If you’re keen to have a watch for yourself, you can do so here at 4am AEDT tomorrow morning.
