Apple's New TV Streaming Service and the Apple Arcade

The biggest tech company in the world starts streaming.

Mar 26, 2019

By: Max Cannon

During this week's event, Apple announced a slew of new services coming to their devices. A credit card and magazine service definitely caught some attention but the real highlights were in their modern media plans which will include a new TV streaming service and a greater focus on gaming with your Apple devices.

Will Apple Arcade improve mobile gaming?

Apple TV+

Apple isn't a stranger to selling TV shows, some older fans may recall buying episodes of "The Office" from iTunes to watch on their iPod back in the 2000s. However, their new initiative finally brings original content fully created by Apple. Apple TV+ is coming in the Fall of 2019 and will bring original shows that can hook in different audiences of all ages. There are going to be some heavy hitters in here. A pair of shows from Oprah Winfrey, a couple of anthologies from comedian Kumail Nanjiani and Steven Spielberg, and a sci-fi adventure starring Aquaman's Jason Mamoa. One of the most exciting announcements for younger viewers is a new show from the team behind "Sesame Street" called "Helpsters," I'd expect more details as the year goes on.

Helpsters from the creators of Sesame Street aim to bring family friendly entertainment to the service.

But, what if you're not an Apple user? Have no fear, if you don't have an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV then you still may have access to Apple TV+. Apple plans to extend the subscription service to non-Apple devices like Smart TVs from Sony, Samsung, and LG. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for your device of choice getting support. No word on any cost so far, but it'll likely be comparable to something like Netflix or Hulu.

Though Apple TV will be on non-Apple devices, it seems like Apple Arcade will stay on iOS.Courtesy of Apple

Gaming with the Apple Arcade

The subscription services won't stop there as Apple plans to clean up the gaming market. Free-to-play games have a reputation for making their marketplaces look a little shady and greedy, so the Apple Arcade seems perfectly poised to make great games that'll work well with iOS. Releasing around the same time as Apple TV+, Apple Arcade will likely cost a monthly fee and give gamers access to a library of titles -- very similar to Microsoft's strategy with the Xbox Game Pass.

Apple Arcade Preview — Coming Fall 2019

What makes Apple Arcade seem to stand out from the pack was the company's focus on quality developers making a range of games. During the press event, Apple gave the spotlight to some recognizable indie developers but also showed the creator of Final Fantasy hard at work on his next game for Apple's service. Don't worry console gamers, this isn't going to come at the cost of your traditional gaming experience but this will hopefully give mobile fans an opportunity to try out some high-quality games for themselves. Now it's just a waiting game to see if Apple can really stick the landing when their services launch later this year.