New Apple Services Could Include 'Podcasts+,' 'Stocks+,' and 'Mail+,' Analysts Predict

[UMHurricanes34]

This sounds awful. Part of makes Apple great is that they have great apps already installed on the iPhone that see continued improvement. I understand some apps as services, like music and games. Those required content creators for you to consume said content. Making future mail or maps improvements into a premium subscription? That's when Apple jumps the shark. No thanks, not going to be nickled and dimed by the 37 millionth subscription service.

Absolutely agree with this. I think this strategy is leading into a really dark and doomed place where Apple continues user hostile behavior in the name of ever growing recurring revenue growth. This is the company that became the richest in the world by offering the best experience. Now I have ads in my settings app for services I’m not interested in. I hate to invoke the SJ trope but...

 

[3224932]

I think this is a stretch - especially the brokerage. There was a time Apple prided themselves on making/offering a limited set of products and services, because they knew over extending themselves would result in compromised quality. They're breaking with that mantra if the analyst is to be believed; however, I think this is total garbage. Analysts don't have the purest intentions, and will make things up for personal reasons...

Finally, I'm still holding out on Apple One, because I get my Apple Music paid for by Verizon. I don't see the need to bundle with services I really don't need and leave free Apple Music on the table.

 

[collin_]

If Mail+ is email with custom domains... take my money, Apple!

That'd be nice. I would probably switch over to them from Google Workplace.

 

[trhoffmann]

How about Apple Music+ with HiRes audio? Seems like an obvious one to me.

 

[furbzv1]

iCloud+ storage starting at 2TB

 

[jicon]

I'm probably not going to bite.

For myself, the only service offered with any value back has been Apple Music, with the key driver there being the personal radio with random songs that are typically in my wheelhouse. If I couldn't integrate it in to Sonos, I'd go to Spotify however.
iCloud - I don't have anything needing more than 5GB. Now, if I really wanted to share photos across devices, and not use Flickr, I'd likely use it... or if I had Home integrated video cameras, I think its basically a must... but for now... no.
News+ doesn't compel me with so many other ways to read quality news articles.
Apple Arcade... looks a bit underwhelming.
Fitness+ I really want to like this. The watch integration is really great. I've tried the free month, and will be cancelling. I've used it for treadmill mostly, and though the exercise gets me somewhere, the variety of runs to me at least... seem a bit limiting. My list of runs gets filtered down, as they throw a bunch of genres out there musically, but 80% of it wants me to hit the next song button... if one existed.
Apple TV is in the same realm of other video services that are still fighting for a few more killer series to justify cost. Obviously Apple is investing, but much like Fitness+, I think it might need a bit more time to expand the catalog.

 

[McKodiak]

I had subscribed to Music Family, TV+ and was wanting 2TB of iCloud space. Apple One Premier made perfect sense. I've been using News+ and Fitness+ almost every day since signing up.

I can understand Podcasts+. Apple would need to pay the premium content providers. Mail+ and Maps+ would be absurd. It's not a service. It's adding competitive features to a stock app. All their current services provide content except for iCloud which provides physical storage, maintenance and up time. This would be tough to accept.

 

[idmean]

Already possible.


Either way, this sounds like hot garbage from an analyst trying to stay relevant.

Really? Then please provide me a link to an Apple document explaining how to do this. I'm not looking for anything hacky or simply forwarding.

 

[Phil77354]

This sounds like a whole lot of conjecture. . .

I agree.

Everyone has their budget to stay within . . . I don't want to pay for Mail+ or Stocks or podcasts. I don't need those services. If included, I would give them a try.

I also decided to try Apple One, to see if I continued to feel it was worthwhile after a couple of months. I feel the same way about any potential added services, if they are bundled into the existing plan without more cost.

That's some arm-chair journalism right there. He literally added a + next to apple's main apps . . .

Seems like that to me, too.

I had subscribed to Music Family, TV+ and was wanting 2TB of iCloud space. Apple One Premier made perfect sense. . .

Same here. I'll wait to see what Apple actually does . . .

 

[BJMRamage]

I guess the next thing we can add on is Safari+ for snappier web.

I think it is crummy to just add + to their existing apps for more features instead of just adding to those apps. because we could then see Photos+ (I suppose not Camera+ since that is already an App)

Some features to basic apps should just be there, not as add-ons.

 

[crawfish963]

Would Mail+ include a fixed version of mail that works?

 

[Apple_Robert]

what would Mail+ even be used for? lol

Reading Facebook emails.

 

[NewUsername]

Who still remembers QuickTime Pro?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Would Mail+ include a fixed version of mail that works?

That is included in the Mail ++ version.

 

[twolf2919]

This isn't news - just some guy's pure guess where Apple could still make money from existing services. And keep in mind that this one guy is Gene Munster - the "analyst" who was 100% sure for several years that an Apple TV (not the streaming box) was right around the corner.

 

[yaxomoxay]

what would Mail+ even be used for? lol

to receive more Mail! Mail+!

 

[fbr$]

What about "Bugs-"?

I would gladly pay for less OS and software bugs.

 

[Nickerbocker]

Oh awesome! Now it won't just be Music and News constantly spamming to upgrade to a premium sub service its going to be ALL Apple apps. I expect as much from an Android manufacturer - I bought an iPhone to stop the spam messages yet at least once a month (if not more) I have to tap through a Apple Music spam add on my iPhone in order to listent o music. Disgraceful.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Mail+ will probably miraculously figure out a way to eliminate every spam mail before it even gets to your inbox. Maybe run on special Apple-operated mail servers. Sadly, I would pay for it just be free of the hundreds of pieces of junk mail I get every day.

 

[nburwell]

Just what we all need -- more subscriptions.

 

[armandxp]

Everyone has their budget to stay within and at $30 a month, Apple One Premiere is exactly my limit considering there's no AppleCare or devices to bundle on to that. A $100 a month iPhone + iPad + AppleCare would be pretty appealing but I digress.

The hope is that Apple rewards its loyal Premiere subscribers who joined before additional services were added with a slightly better discount OR gives us the option to add them or not. I don't want to pay for Mail+ or Stocks or podcasts. I don't need those services. If included, I would give them a try.

My conservative guess is the only people who have subscribed to Premiere are those who had Apple Music Family and needed Fitness OR were using 2TB of storage and music and thought "what the hell, it's only $5 more dollars for arcade, fitness and news" which is the camp I was in.

If Premiere did not include 2TB with the $30 price, I would have not upgraded. I only use Music + iCloud and have occasionally dabbled in Fitness, Arcade & News but they aren't core to my life.

I agree, I have the $30 plan and love it. Great value for me because I was paying for 2tb, family music, for $5 more got a lot of services I will use and like.

Now, I sell or trade in my iPhone every year. I pay $30 monthly basically and it never ends, and $10 for AppleCare. so $40 month I always have a new iPhone...I'm good with these services...

 

[williamyx]

Trading?? Oh god

 

[lovehateapple]

Could potentially be interested in podcasts, stocks, and mail, but will have to wait and see. Highly doubt Apple will get into the discount brokerage business.

 

[groundedUX]

“How can we model the Toll Highway with more of our services?”

This.

There’s a friction point in many experiences where people start to really hate something even if they still use it. For me it would be this. The experience transforms from loving a product to “I have to pay now because I need it but now I hate them like indentured servants hate their overlords.”


The very first time I hated something Apple did was years ago when they “revamped” Keynote and cost me some capability in my business - still, years later not as good or capable. Many more things since then and that friction point is really, really close. Anyone remember the time when virtually no one said anything bad about Apple? Kinda a common thing now right? I HOPE someone at Apple really looks at our comments and takes them to heart.

 

[Alan Wynn]

This sounds awful.

Some of it certainly does, some seems interesting.

Part of makes Apple great is that they have great apps already installed on the iPhone that see continued improvement.

This is exactly the problem they face. Services have to really be services, not just more functionality in existing apps.

I understand some apps as services, like music and games. Those required content creators for you to consume said content.

Exactly this. Works for podcasts as well.

Making future mail or maps improvements into a premium subscription?

The suggestion made by @idmean of Mail+ being supporting custom domains would be great. That is an interesting service. I cannot think of any service that I think maps could offer that I would feel would be reasonable as a paid add-on.

That's when Apple jumps the shark. No thanks, not going to be nickled and dimed by the 37 millionth subscription service.

It also matters whether these are just bundled into AppleOne at the same price, or cost more.