Apple TV Plus streaming service: everything you need to know – AppleTV 4 Jailbreak (appletv4jailbreak.com)
Apple pulled back the curtain on its Apple TV Plus/TV+ film and TV streaming service in June – and now, four months later (and in part thanks to Apple’s 2019 iPhone event), we have plenty of details on the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video rival, including pricing, launch date, audio and video support and the first of its exclusive original content.
But how does Apple TV Plus work, how do you access it and what exactly will it offer? Crucially, when will it be available and how much will it cost? We reveal all…
What is Apple TV Plus?
It’s Apple’s new video subscription streaming service. The Cupertino giant has previously created original content offerings, such as Planet Of The Apps and Carpool Karaoke, for its Apple Music streaming service, but this is a dedicated films and TV shows-only endeavour.
You could call it a Netflix or Amazon Prime Video of sorts, but unlike those rival streaming services TV Plus will be purely about original, ad-free content.
Which devices support Apple TV Plus?
The service will only be available through the latest version of the Apple TV app, which arrived on iPhones, iPads and Apple TV streamers (in over 100 countries) via a May software update. Macs will get the update in the autumn – we imagine before the service goes live.
Select 2018 and 2019 Samsung smart TVs received the Apple TV app in the spring of 2019, while Sony, LG and Vizio smart TVs, Roku streamers and Amazon Fire TV devices will also support the app ‘in the future’. We’d hope this means in time for the launch later this year, but Samsung seems to have secured a degree.
Apple has launched a promo channel on YouTube but it seems unlikely this will show anything more than trailers, so Apple TV Plus on YouTube won’t come any time soon.
Because Apple will hold the rights to every show and film on the service, you’ll be able to download TV shows and movies to watch offline as well as stream on demand. All the content will be exclusive to the platform.
What can you watch on Apple TV Plus?
Apple TV Plus is all about original, ad-free content. No re-runs, no licensed content, just originals created purely for the service.
Rumours are that the firm has invested over $1bn in these TV shows and films and, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple TV Plus will be “the destination for the highest-quality originals”.
It certainly has an impressive roster of talent signed up. At Apple’s June annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), we saw a teaser trailer (below) for an Apple original coming in the fall. For All Mankind is a drama series about the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers and their families, created by Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica), Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi. Less than 12 hours…