(ThyBlackMan.com) Apple TV+ was announced along with a couple of products and services during the Special Event in early September. As you know, the one that stood out to me was Apple Arcade. Yes, that’s against the iPhone 11 family and other Apple ecosystem stuff announced. However, Apple TV+ is something that was also in the top three from the event.
Apple TV+ Shows Up Late With Attractive Subscription Fee
There’s a thing about being “fashionably late” to something. If you’re going to be late-late, you have to stun everyone in the room. Heads must turn. You can’t just walk into a room with some baseline, standard stuff and expect everyone to flock to you.
Apple is coming very late to the dance with TV+. With the default Apple TV, you’re getting most of the stuff other streaming services offer movie and show-wise. It’s baseline. Some would say it’s “expected.” Yes, myself included. That said, because it offers a lot of what services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney, and Amazon Video have in their library, it keeps everything in one place for Apple fans.
What this means is that unless it’s just a Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu original there’s no reason to pick up Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu. Sure, you have some television shows that studios only give to one of the services but for the most part, one show isn’t enough to pay $9.99 or above.
Speaking of paying, the head-turning part of Apple TV+ isn’t in its library of shows or even its originals. It’s in the subscription fee of just $4.99. It isn’t the “flashiest” move and one could say it’s cheap—in both ways—but it’s expected. Even though people love Apple like they love home cooking, at times Apple has to bring the razzle dazzle.
A price point of $4.99 is a good way to raise eyebrows and draw potential subscribers in. It’s five dollars, a Meal of the Day at Mickey D’s. You’re not losing anything in paying five dollars to have a peek after the seven-day trial.
The Real Razzle Dazzle
It’s hard to bring the razzle dazzle when you’re a few years late on producing original content. That means whatever you’re bringing has to be so mind-blowingly unique that there’s no way the bigger streaming services would come up with this.
Again, it’s hard when Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have been around for years. They’ve had the time to come up with original movies, shows, and specials, make some money off of those, and keep it going. Then Disney comes along with its own streaming service and it already has built in properties. All it has to do is sneeze and it has a show, a film, or some companion show to a main show.
Apple TV+ is riding uphill on ice here. While Apple has the resources to produce its own original content—and has done so with the upcoming November 1st launch—it’s late. It’s very late, actually. Looking at its lineup of originals, few of them standout to me. See with Jason Momoa is the main thing because it looks interesting and I’ve always preferred Momoa’s TV acting. Plus, there is some talent there in front of and behind the lens.
Competing With The Others
If we view it as Apple doing its own thing and not directly competing with the titans of streaming, Apple is just making an entry and carving out its own corner. However, we know how it goes. It’s Apple and Apple is going to compete in whatever market it enters. Spotify was there, on its own, counting its money and here comes Apple Music.
Same thing in gaming, podcasting, phablets, and so on. Apple competes whether it is doing it actively or whether it just wants to make a one-stop shop for people on iOS and everyone views it as competing.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.
