“Apple CEO Tim Cook began Monday’s highly anticipated event at the Steve Jobs Theater by defining the word ‘services.’ The conceit was to lay out a new vision for how to think about Apple,” Alex Sherman writes for CNBC. “If Apple Version 1 was the Macintosh computer, and Apple Version 2 was mobile hardware from the iPod and iPhone through the Apple Watch, then Apple Version 3 would include a variety of subscription services with recurring revenue.”
“Monday’s event was supposed to be the big coming-out party for this services vision,” Sherman writes. “But if Apple v.3 is going to change the way investors value Apple, they’ll need more answers than Cook gave Monday. Apple was so sparse on key details around its video and news services that it felt like Apple had rushed the event or was waiting on a critical deal that never came through.”
“Apple introduced Apple TV+, its subscription video service for original programs,” Sherman writes. “But it didn’t say how much Apple TV+ would cost… In addition, even if the shows are fantastic, a consumer could watch them all in a month. It made no sense to announce a subscription video service with no library.”
“Apple also has negotiated the right to bundle some of the existing streaming services in its new Apple TV Channels product for a discount, according to people familiar with the matter. This could give Apple TV Channels an advantage over the competing Amazon Channels by giving customers the ability to sign up for multiple streaming services for a lower price,” Sherman writes. “But again, Apple offered no pricing details at all.”
“Apple’s new subscription gaming service, Apple Arcade? Again, no price given,” Sherman writes. “Several spectators wondered if Apple’s new services would be bundled together, themselves, perhaps with Apple Music. Nope, no news on that.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The Apple TV+ presentation was quite long on feel-good pablum, but rather short on details and execution. In other words: Tim Cook’s Apple in a nutshell.
SEE ALSO:
Apple unveils Apple TV+ original video subscription service – March 25, 2019
Yes, let’s all get excited about something that doesn’t yet exist and that you can’t buy (or at least can’t know what it will cost)!!
Great marketing, guys! Not!!
Words matter –
They keep saying “introduced” NOTHING was “introduced” many things were “announced”. Airpower was also “announced” but is has yet to be “introduced”.
No pricing, no hard dates, feels very Microsoft “vaporware-ish”
I agree. What wasn’t said takes on more importance. I suspect the details aren’t ready, they can’t give a specific availability date for anything, and they actually don’t know for certain what the cost will be. But this is the time of year when products are announced, ready or not. Reminds me of “real artists ship.” I don’t know if Steve could have made it happen on time, but id does appear that Tim could not..
Felt rushed indeed. Why? Cause they don’t fully believe in it. Compare this to Jobs who’d make even a dust bunny lodged in the Mac Pro grill look good cause he invested himself fully in the product.
A glance at Ives and Laureen looking on without emotion as those around them clapped sheepishly is telling.
Well Cook doesn’t believe in anything till its proven which is why he sits on new products while he watches others make them successful before jumping in. And Video in this form is about as big a jump as Apple has made and especially Cook who is the expert at minor updates left as long as possible to introduce. And of course they don’t have Jobs to cover up all the inadequacies with a spell binding cool aided hypnotic presentation.
Conceit?
I am going to defend Apple on this one for why would you give rivals important information, and in particular pricing when it is still a series of services that are some months away as much as 6 months perhaps for some. Google in particular has changed its pricing on services that competed with Apple services where cost was revealed even a couple months in advance so it would be stupid to do so here. Problem is that we have all become so cynical about Cook’s Apple that it is difficult to see it that way and thus give them the benefit of the doubt. Well on this occasion we can only hope its sensible over confused thinking. And of course in the case of the video service front its almost certain that they are looking for new deals before launch or have some still in negotiation to a lesser or greater degree that will almost certainly affect overall pricing strategy. It would be even more ‘Cook’ to announce something that he has to go back on after all and that would be truly embarrassing.
That special event was a joke. It was little more than an exhibition put forth to keep the stock holders at bay (of which I’m one). It was largely theater, see us, were doing some thing.
At this point in time it should be viewed as vapor ware, much like the super uber world changing wireless charging solution brought to you by Apple.
this “this fall” approach to releasing anything new is pure B.S.
“Real Artists Ship”…………….. “This Fall”
you mean?
Here’s what I mean.
When a company (Apple in this case) announces a new product or service that it be ready to go to the market with it.
Not some half baked trial ballon setting its release, features, advantages, benefits, pricing, structure & availability somewhere in the fairytale future.
Be ready with it that day, that week or that month. not some pie in the sky future date.
This is exactly what is happening, with far too much frequency with Pipeline Timmy’s Apple.
I hope that answers your question.
What does it matter if prices are announced now or later. Once they are announced competitors will make their change since they have no incentive to change it before knowing it.
“…even if the shows are fantastic, a consumer could watch them all in a month. It made no sense to announce a subscription video service with no library.”
I think this is an important insight. Streaming services can justify their fee with a large back-catalogue of their own shows and/or library of older series.
Without that, Apple can’t charge much for this.
My guess is they won’t be charging for Apple TV+ but will use it to create a critical mass of users who will then buy in-app subscriptions to other channels. Perhaps when Apple TV+ has enough content, they’ll be on a position to change for it. (Or perhaps it will continue to be free to users of the Apple TV service on Apple hardware?)
TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE:
Too many people emerged from the shadows; One is enough.
Too many people took to the stage; Five would have been sufficient.
Insufficient pricing.
Too little magic.
Go Raiders!
I thought it was a good event. Apple is rolling out complicated services. This is not like shipping an iPad mini. I’ll give them a year to see how well they execute before calling this a failure.
I’ll definitely get the credit card just to get the Jony Ive designed titanium card.
Right…it’s not like shipping updated computer hardware–that’d be easy. Wait…
Very unlikely Google or Samsung will scramble to copy any of Apple’s announcements at this event.