Apple Announces Apple TV Plus Subscription Service With Ad-Free Original Programming

by Brandon Hill — Monday, March 25, 2019, 02:55 PM EDT

Apple is looking to take on Netflix in the original programming arena with Apple TV+, the company. Apple TV+ has the backing of some of the biggest directors in the business including Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, JJ Abrams and Sofia Coppola.

There a number of original shows coming to Apple TV+ including The Morning Show, which is helmed by Steve Carrell, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon. See is a new science fiction drama that stars Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard. And the great Spielberg will be remaking Amazing Stories for Apple’s new services platform.

Apple even managed to snag Oprah Winfrey for two new documentaries; one of which is called Toxic Labor (covering workplace harassment), and another unnamed multi-part series dealing with mental health. "We want to be heard, but we also need to listen," said Oprah. "That's why I'm joining forces with Apple."

In addition, the Apple TV app has evolved to including content from services like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO and Showtime directly into a new Apple TV Channels interface. Apple will also offer a la carte cable bundles allowing you to only pay for the content you want from providers like Spectrum and DirecTV (including sports channels).

According to Apple, this Apple TV Channels update will be arriving in May for its streaming box. The service will come to Macs sometime this Fall. The new Apple TV app will not only be available on Apple devices, but also on Smart TVs from Sony, LG and Vizio and streaming boxes like Fire TV and Roku (along with their respective Smart TV counterparts).

Apple has not yet announced pricing for its Apple TV Channels or Apple TV+ service, but we expect to learn more in the coming months.

Tags: Apple, tim cook, (NASDAQ:AAPL), apple tv plus

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.