Apple to Announce TV Service at March 25 Event, But Launch is Months Off

[Jakewilk]

Meh, cant see this working at all. If Apple Music is anything to go by, outside of the US this'll be pretty much a niche thing. Especially here in the UK where its basically Sky, Cable, Netflix, FTA, Amazon (pretty much everyone I know has Netflix and/or Prime). The (exclusive) content on these platforms combined is something that Apple would have to spend litteral billions of dollars, and 5-10 years competing against to have any hope in hell of getting anywhere.

Most countries that Apple would serve dont have a nearly as poorly executed television service as the US. It's pretty shocking how bad US tv providers are, so it makes it easy for Apple to take a (all be it small) chunk of marketshare there.
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You must be pretty new then...like, really, really new. Apple used to never announce a thing until the keynote. That stopped the day they announced the trashcan mac pro as something they were working on for a future release. They did that (wrongly IMO) to quell pretty strong rumors at the time that the Mac Pro was going to be killed off entirely.

Go back pre-2014 when you joined the forums and you'll see.

The original iPhone, iPad, iPod classic, and macbook pro were all announced months before sale. All new iOS and macOS services like apple music and the app store have always been announced months in advance. Unless you’re talking about pre-1985 with the release of the original macintosh, you must be severely mistaken
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This statement is incorrect.

Give me one example where apple didn't announce a new product category months in advance

 

[citysnaps]

Pre-announcing PRODUCTS and SERVICES is not a bad thing. Announcing IDEAS that may never come to fruition is dumb. Makes it impossible to trust future announcements.

Is it real? Are we going to see this released soon? Are we going to wait for eternity?

Has that happened? I'm aware of delays.

 

[AppleScruff1]

So another streaming service. Why will Apple's be the holy grail? How will it revolutionize the way we watch TV?

 

[Juicy Box]

Dear Apple, please go back to announcing things only when they are ready to roll out.

They’ve literally never done that with a new product... Ever

This statement is incorrect.

Give me one example where apple didn't announce a new product category months in advance

There has been many times that there has been new products that were ready for sale shortly after the announcement.

category

Well, then that is asking a totally different question.....

Even still, I would bet there has been a product that created new category that did not have a long wait time between announcement and launch. I will look up some...
[doublepost=1550253940][/doublepost]

Give me one example where apple didn't announce a new product category months in advance

Well, then that is asking a totally different question.....

Even still, I would bet there has been a product that created new category that did not have a long wait time between announcement and launch. I will look up some...

After only a few minutes of searching, I found that the iTunes Music Store was announced and launched the same day.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Has that happened? I'm aware of delays.

It has if you look at the AirPower and MacPRO lines. I would suggest that a limited window of time be applied, such that if a product will not be released in the next X days/months... it shouldn't be announced.

 

[bernuli]

Just peachy. Another "we're going to deliver this amazing new product... sometime in the indefinite future" announcement.

Yeah. And IMO it is not even a product.

I have Netflix, an HD TV antenna and, a 4K DVD player. That is it. And for me it is more than enough.

Man, a keynote about TV shows. Count me out.

 

[PickUrPoison]

I think AirPower is the only one that’s been extensively delayed. The rest were only a few weeks late. Apple Watch was slated for early 2015 and they held another event before it was released to show it off and again and finalise everything.

There’s been no extensive delay of AirPower; it’s currently exactly as late as AirPods and HomePod were, 6 weeks. But as of mid-February, we’re still waiting, so the delay continues to grow.

 

[citysnaps]

It has if you look at the AirPower and MacPRO lines. I would suggest that a limited window of time be applied, such that if a product will not be released in the next X days/months... it shouldn't be announced.

But my question ("Has that happened? I'm aware of delays.) was in response to: "Announcing IDEAS that may never come to fruition is dumb."

Apple execs said the new MacPro would be available in 2019. And AirPower is suffering a delay, no doubt technical in nature.

I don't think anything has been announced that never came to fruition.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip>

I don't think anything has been announced that never came to fruition.

Sometimes people will mention a G5 laptop but I don’t think Apple ever announced it.

 

[CordovaLark]

Still don't understand what this is supposed to be. Is it going to be Live TV with Apple series, and Movies thrown in? Or will it just be Apple originals... if it is the latter who in their right mind is going pay for that?

 

[JRobinsonJr]

But my question ("Has that happened? I'm aware of delays.) was in response to: "Announcing IDEAS that may never come to fruition is dumb."

Apple execs said the new MacPro would be available in 2019. And AirPower is suffering a delay, no doubt technical in nature.

I don't think anything has been announced that never came to fruition.

Fair enough response. The notion of "never" is certainly subjective. In the highly volatile, fast moving world of personal electronics I would suggest that a 12 month window is equivalent to an eternity... and certainly long enough to build strong, competition products. IN MY OPINION ONLY, ymmv, these are analogous. If a company announces a new product, tells us it's coming, but can't deliver within 12 months, they have failed to deliver.

Let's use the AirPower as an example. WILL Apple eventually ship it? Maybe. But I no longer care, and would suggest that there are now a strong range of products on the market that anyone who wants to use a conductive charger has already bought one. Apple has failed.

I cheerfully use this criteria on any product and any industry, so this is neither an anti-Apple nor a pro-Apple stance. It's just my own version of being practical.
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Prediction:

$9.99 per month including 1 TB iCloud storage, Apple Music, Apple “Netflix” and News.

Now that would be great!

My own version of this prediction:

$9.99/month for Apple Music
$9.99/month for Apple Movies
$9.99/month for Apple News​

-or-

$29.99/month for the bundle​

 

[Abazigal]

Still don't understand what this is supposed to be. Is it going to be Live TV with Apple series, and Movies thrown in? Or will it just be Apple originals... if it is the latter who in their right mind is going pay for that?

My guess is that Apple video will initially be offered for free, given that it’s going to have only a small selection of shows, many with just 1 season. Give it another couple of years for Apple to build up their stable of video content, then they can maybe start charging for it.

 

[charlituna]

You've just announced the announcement of an announcement.

No they announced a rumor of an announcement.

But March is often Education related so it’s possible that non of this content is correct. We might not hear about this service/content until WWDC or even in the fall

 

[The Game 161]

Really don’t see the point of it really. Not like it will compare to Netflix

 

[Jakewilk]

There has been many times that there has been new products that were ready for sale shortly after the announcement.


Well, then that is asking a totally different question.....

Even still, I would bet there has been a product that created new category that did not have a long wait time between announcement and launch. I will look up some...
[doublepost=1550253940][/doublepost]



After only a few minutes of searching, I found that the iTunes Music Store was announced and launched the same day.

By adding “category” to the statement I was clarifying my original intent

 

[Mac 128]

I’m sure the UK will have to wait a long time for the streaming service and news subscription.
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I think AirPower is the only one that’s been extensively delayed. The rest were only a few weeks late. Apple Watch was slated for early 2015 and they held another event before it was released to show it off and again and finalise everything.

But AirPower is the only one significantly delayed that hasn’t had any official updates from Apple? Maybe I’m wrong but it seems like there have been articles devoted to the absolute silence from Apple about AirPower, whereas I don’t remember AirPods and HomePod so easily written off as vapourware?

 

[antiprotest]

Lol how is it nonsense? Look at their News app, with the exception of UK and a handful of countries globally, it never made it anywhere. Apple Pay only spread to EU this year after 5 years or so. Apple Music is picking up at a glacial pace compared to Spotify.

How are we benefitting from these half baked services at all, when at the same time we pay WAY more for the same hardware? What is the value add for us to keep buying their stuff if all the "updates" we are getting are memojis and services we can't access?

Um I said otternonsense. Look at your own username.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Lol how is it nonsense? Look at their News app, with the exception of UK and a handful of countries globally, it never made it anywhere. Apple Pay only spread to EU this year after 5 years or so. Apple Music is picking up at a glacial pace compared to Spotify.

How are we benefitting from these half baked services at all, when at the same time we pay WAY more for the same hardware? What is the value add for us to keep buying their stuff if all the "updates" we are getting are memojis and services we can't access?

Well Apple Pay has been available in the UK since 2016 and the last time I checked we were still in the EU...

 

[toptekjon]

Why do you lump YoutubeTV/SlingTV/DirectvNow and Netflix in the same category? I wouldn't consider Netflix a competitor to those at all. Netflix is ad-free and unscheduled. The others are just cable tv but over ip.

Agreed. I was saying that I hope apples service will provide both a “cable tv package” like YoutubeTV, and ALSO a Netflix style service with a lot of exclusive content. An all in one service, basically.

 

[otternonsense]

Well Apple Pay has been available in the UK since 2016 and the last time I checked we were still in the EU...

1/28th of the EU does not exactly scale well. It only made it in Germany last December.

 

[9081094]

Remember when Apple made computers (and software that was actually good)? I don't want your "services," Tim.

It’s almost 7 years ago seeing the crap coming out today you almost forget they were once capable of building good hard- and software.
[doublepost=1550431346][/doublepost]

My guess is that Apple video will initially be offered for free, given that it’s going to have only a small selection of shows, many with just 1 season. Give it another couple of years for Apple to build up their stable of video content, then they can maybe start charging for it.

Nothing Apple releases comes free. You a. Already paid for in the form of excessive priced hardware, b. It will be an expensive future log in trap. Wake up.

 

[JMAndiSmith]

Typical Apple. They announce then take years to launch!

-AirPower
-AirPods wireless charging case
-Apple Pay still not available in multiple European Union countries (mine too)
-HomePod restricted to just a few countries
-News and TV app only in US, UK and Australia
-ECG in the US only
And the list goes on.

Though I agree with the Airpower and AirPods; the rest is really trivial. Apple Pay is available is a lot of countries, used it today, and I live in Canada. HomePod is available is a lot of countries as well, News is available in 3 countries, soon 4, TV App was available in a lot of countries when it launched including Canada. ECG OK. But Apple in the last year have made 0 promises especially after AirPower debacle.

 

[Juicy Box]

Dear Apple, please go back to announcing things only when they are ready to roll out.

Why?

I certainly don’t mind Apple pre-announcing a service or product. Clearly there are excellent reasons Apple chooses to do so.

Pre-announcing PRODUCTS and SERVICES is not a bad thing. Announcing IDEAS that may never come to fruition is dumb. Makes it impossible to trust future announcements.

Has that happened? I'm aware of delays.

It has if you look at the AirPower and MacPRO lines.

It looks like @JRobinsonJr was correct on this one. The fate of the AirPower is pretty embarrassing for Apple, but if the same ends up happening to Apple's streaming service, that would be a lot more embarrassing.

Apple execs said the new MacPro would be available in 2019. And AirPower is suffering a delay, no doubt technical in nature.

I don't think anything has been announced that never came to fruition.

It has now.

Is it real? Are we going to see this released soon? Are we going to wait for eternity?

Answers for you: nope, nope, looks like we will.