Apple has finally revealed when its forthcoming streaming service, Apple TV+ will launch — and how much it will cost when it arrives.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company’s event Tuesday that the platform will be priced at $4.99 per month and debut on Nov. 1. Cook also revealed that you’ll get a year of Apple TV+ for free when you buy a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch, starting now. And the service will offer a seven-day free trial when it debuts.
The Nov. 1 date gives Apple TV+ a slight jump on another much-anticipated streaming service, Disney+, which will debut Nov. 12.
Apple recently started rolling out trailers for the original shows that will be available on Apple TV+, including Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston’s drama “The Morning Show,” Ronald D. Moore’s “For All Mankind,” the Hailee Steinfeld-led comedy “Dickinson” and the Jason Momoa sci-fi series “See,” which premiered its preview today.
Also available on Nov. 1 will be Sesame Workshop’s “Helpsters,” the Peanuts cartoon “Snoopy in Space,” a “reinvention” of the ’90s children’s mystery series “Ghostwriter” and the documentary film “Elephant Queen.” The service also promises, from Oprah Winfrey, “a vibrant, global book club community and other projects to connect with people around the world and share meaningful ways to create positive change.”
The unveiling of Apple TV+’s price and launch date comes over six months after Apple gave out a few details about the new ad-free streaming service during an event in Cupertino, Calif. back in March. At that time, all that Apple revealed was the service’s name and a planned fall 2019 debut.
At that time, Apple also announced Apple TV+ will be available in 100 countries and accessible via the Apple TV app, which will be updated to include an Apple TV Channels feature. But what Apple didn’t say then was how much Apple TV+ would cost subscribers or the service’s exact launch date.
Apple used the March event as an opportunity to bring out some of the big talent behind the almost two dozen series that have been ordered for Apple TV+ to preview their programs, including Aniston, Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg, Steve Carell, Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Kumail Nanjiani, Big Bird, J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles.
Apple TV+ will be met with a growing number of competitors as it looks to make a presence in the over-the-top space, will join a crowded streaming market that includes the upcoming Disney+, as well as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Another upcoming service, WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, which will debut next spring.