Apple's new streaming service will be cheaper than expected


Apple is finally ready to enter the streaming wars, and its new service will cost about half as much as we thought.
The company during a Tuesday event officially announced the launch date of its new streaming service, Apple TV+. It will be available on Nov. 1, not long before Disney's new service Disney+, which launches on Nov. 12. Apple TV+ will also cost $4.99, making it cheaper than Disney+, which will cost $6.99. It'll also be cheaper than the most popular $12.99 Netflix plan, and the ad-supported $5.99 Hulu plan.
It had previously been reported that Apple was looking at a $9.99 price point for Apple TV+, which seemed high considering the service will be launching with a slimmer library of content compared to its competitors. CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday touted upcoming originals like The Morning Show, a drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
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Apple also announced that those who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV device will get a year of Apple TV+ for free. In this way, The Hollywood Reporter's Natalie Jarvey notes that Apple's "TV service essentially becomes an added bonus to keep people in the Apple device ecosystem."
The fight to take on Netflix will heat up significantly with the back-to-back launch of these two new streaming giants this November.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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