A number of Apple devices saw upgrades this week. These included the iMac, iPad Air and mini, and AirPods. Now, these upgrades are being followed up with an event where the company is expected to announce its highly anticipated video streaming service.
Invitations were sent out to media a while ago for what is being called Apple’s “Show Time” event on the 25th of March. The wording in the invite is regarded as a throwback to the 2006 Special Event where Apple announced iTV. That service later turned into the Apple TV we know today and now there’s a new television-esque service on the horizon.
Alongside the video streaming service, it’s also anticipated that Apple will be announcing both gaming and news subscription services.
The gaming service was first mentioned back in January by Cheddar and will reportedly let users access a library of iOS games by paying a monthly subscription fee.
A year ago, Apple took over Texture, a virtual magazine newsstand. Known as the “Netflix of magazine publishing”, Texture had around 200 magazines available for a monthly subscription. This acquisition was a big step in painting Apple as a spokesman for trusted media sources and now it is taking the next step by offering its own news subscription service.
As for the streaming service, it is set to compete with other massive streaming services like Amazon, Netflix and Hulu. How much it will differ from current Apple TV offerings right now is still uncertain, but there does seem to be an emphasis on offering bundles with cable services like HBO, Showtime and Starz. There are also whispers of original content, but some reports, such as one from Tech Crunch, suggest that this content will be free.
The event will begin at 10 AM PT (7 PM CAT) on Monday, March 25, and will be hosted inside Cupertino’s Steve Jobs Theater. To watch a live stream of the event, or to watch a live stream of the empty theatre as a teaser to the event later today, click through to https://www.apple.com/apple-events/livestream/
By Daniëlle Kruger
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