Apple Unveils TV Plus Video Streaming Service

Apple unveiled its much anticipated TV Plus video-streaming service Monday at an event that was high on star power but low on details.

The iPhone-maker revealed its new Apple TV Plus video-streaming service at a star-studded presentation in Cupertino, Calif., that included appearances by Hollywood A-listers like Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston and Oprah.

But details of the product — which is expected to compete against streaming service from Amazon, Disney and Netflix — were scarce. Apple gave no launch date or price, saying only that Apple TV Plus will launch in the fall.

“This was supposed to be their big unveiling, and it just seemed very rushed,” CFRA Research’s Angelo Zino told The Post. “Especially toward that latter half of the event; it was just a carousel of famous people coming out.”

Indeed, the company enlisted a slew of famous actors to talk about shows they are working on for Apple, including a workplace comedy starring Steve Carell and Reese Witherspoon; an anthology series from Kumail Nanjiani of “Silicon Valley,” and a new show for young viewers from Sesame Workshop.

But when it came time for the big reveal, Apple played a few brief clips of the shows followed by a message saying the launch would come in the “fall.”

It was a far cry from a typical Apple event, which is packed with information and details about every new product and product upgrade.

The lack of detail was a result of Apple’s still figuring out what the final product will look like, as well as a desire to keep its competition at arm’s length until launch, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told The Post.

“There’s so much pressure on [CEO Tim] Cook and Apple to be successful here,” Ives said. “They had to keep this one a little more close to the vest, in terms of details, because they know there’s war rooms at Disney, Amazon and Netflix watching every single second and detail of this event.”

Apple also revamped its Apple TV app to center it around its new video strategy, in which customers can purchase subscription packages from content providers like HBO and Showtime in a central marketplace.

Apple shares finished the day down 1.2 percent at $188.74

Other products unveiled Monday include a new credit card and a magazine subscription service for $9.99 a month.

The iPhone maker has given Apple News a makeover, introducing a new, paid tier dubbed Apple News+ that will allow customers to pay a single monthly subscription cost for access to a number of magazines and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic and Sports Illustrated.

The $9.99 plan features custom designs for each magazine, with Apple saying that each title has been given the freedom to create a look that fits best for them.

Apple News+ can be used as a family plan at no extra cost, Apple said, and each family member will receive customized recommendations based on their reading history.

Apple also unveiled its first credit card, the Apple Card. The credit card is designed to be used through Apple Pay, with Apple software helping customers track their spending and payment habits.

The tech giant’s card will be accepted by MasterCard’s global payment network and is backed by Goldman Sachs. Apple Card owners will get 3 percent back on purchases made directly through Apple, 2 percent on purchases made through Apple Pay and 1 percent on purchases made with its physical, titanium credit card.

Source: Nypost