Apple’s Original Video Subscription Service TV+ Is Actually Coming To Australia

Apple TV+ is coming in Spring — yes, even in Australia — and the subscription service is promising a whole lot of original content. Not from just anyone, though —  from folks like Jon Chu, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, M. Night Shyamalan, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, and the one that has piqued our curiosity, Jason Mamoa.

So what will the content actually be? We’re talking TV shows, movies and documentaries all through a Netflix-style service, for a price yet to be announced.

Steven Spielberg, who has openly argued that movies that are just on a TV aren't real movies and shouldn't be considered the same kind of art, is being paid to tell you why Apple TV+ is good.

— Imran Khan (@imranzomg) March 25, 2019

“We’re honoured that the absolute best lineup of storytellers in the world — both in front of and behind the camera — are coming to Apple TV+,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Apple TV+ will be home to some of the highest quality original storytelling that TV and movie lovers have seen yet.”

Titles we spied in the video montage (and were actually announced) so far include:

• Amazing Stories – Stephen Spielberg’s reboot of the sci-fi anthology series.
• The Morning Show – Producers Jennifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon were spruiking this one at the announcement today, with Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, and Mark Duplass appearing in the show.
• See – Jason Momoa will star in this fantasy epic about an apocalyptic world where everyone is blind?
• Little America – The creator of The Big Sick, Kumail Nanjiani, is behind this anthology of true stories about immigrants coming to America.
• Helpsters – There’s a new muppet, and it teaches kids to code.
• Little Voice – J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles have made a series about a struggling performer trying to get a gig in musical theatre in New York City. Don’t expect too much lense flare in this one.
• Are You Sleeping? – Octavia Spencer. Mystery Drama. Sign. Me. Up.
• Dickinson – Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson. It’s a period comedy?
• For All Mankind – BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA CREATOR RONALD D. MOORE. SCI-FI SERIES ABOUT THE SPACE RACE. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. MY CAPS LOCK IS STUCK ON.
• Central Park – The Bob’s Burgers folks are making a new animated series. It’s a musical.
• The Long-Awaited World Domination By Oprah Winfrey – Not a real title. Oprah is making a documentary about sexual harassment in the workplace (Toxic Labour), a documentary about mental health, and the book club is BACK.

Oprah touched my face.

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) March 25, 2019

The announcement came today, along with long-awaited info about the new Apple TV app which launches in May (you’ll get it via a software update). The big deal about this app is that you can install is on more than just Apple devices. Samsung Smart TVs will be able to install it from Spring, with LG and Sony TVs compatible “at a future date”. This might seem like a big departure from Apple’s “you can’t have this on anywhere but an Apple device” strategy in the past, but really it is all about competition, and giving us what we really want. Subscription services are the fastest growing money maker for the tech giant — why not make them available on as many devices as possible?

Through the app, you can subscribe to and watch new Apple TV channels. You only pay for the channels you want, ala Foxtel, and you can watch everything offline. You can also buy or rent iTunes movies and TV shows. There will be personalised suggestions based on your viewing habits across Apple TV and iTunes, as well as other streaming apps.

Now all we need to know is how much will it all cost us. Considering Apple Arcade — the new gaming subscription service – was also announced today, monthy direct debits are about to rise big time.