We have some very good news for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users. The Spectrum TV app by Spectrum TV Essentials was launched on iOS platforms for $14.99 plus taxes per month. It was launched on the Apple Store on January 3, 2019.
More than 60 lifestyle, sports, beauty, history, and kids channels are included in the package including Destination America, BBC World News, BBC World News, Nickelodeon, BBC America, American Heroes Channel, Lifetime, Food Network, Game Show Network, Outdoor Channel, Paramount Network, and The Weather Channel among others. Unfortunately, none of the broadcast channels are included in the package.
How do You Get It?
Don’t jump your horses though; it will only be available to home users who have already purchased the Charter’s Spectrum Internet service. Bob Bakish, Viacom President and CEO, announced that with the video marketplace growing rapidly, it has become more than essential to offer high-quality affordable streaming options for Internet-based users. The release has made Charter Spectrum the first basic cable company in the United States to offer streaming service to tv OS 12 on a no sign-on functionality. The streaming app will only work if you have the Charter Spectrum internet service. This function allows Apple users to automatically sync existing subscriptions so that the users can change channels effortlessly.
It is an advanced feature of the single sign-on feature and was developed to streamline the log-in process on Apple devices as the operating system has too many third-party apps now. The former feature was introduced back in 2016.
Most affordable in the competition
The Spectrum TV app isn’t obviously the first streaming app for iOS but it is the cheapest one until now. Sling TV costs $25 per month and the cost goes higher for bigger packages. The next ones are YouTube TV and DirecTV NOW, both of which cost $40 each per month. Hulu with Live TV is the most expensive one with packages starting at $45 a month.
The new streaming service has another competitor, Netflix, which is the cheapest of all, but it doesn’t stream any of the channels. You can’t really compare the two but they are still a competition since both show video entertainment on demand. The company calls its new app a high-value product.
Rumors about Apple’s in-house streaming service
Apple is planning to launch its own on-demand streaming service in 2019, according to the rumors. It is going to be an all exclusive service, much like Netflix and Apple has reportedly spent a lot of money making movies and TV series. The company has been tight-lipped about it.
You might not have noticed, but let’s create a timeline that will make you believe in the rumor. Back in November 2018, Apple hired a lot of employees for its Interactive Media Group. In November 2018, Apple posted more than 42 openings in the US. According to the tech, Interactive Media Group has the responsibility of implementing software services in the linear audiovisual media section, which include on-demand videos, multimedia live streaming, and local media playback.
If this doesn’t make you believe, we have more proof. Most of the job openings that Apple has posted since 2017 have been streaming related. We are prepared to expect something big from Apple and we are alerting you to do the same. Even though Apple will have an advantage over third-party streaming services, it needs to impress its users with their content. Netflix and Amazon are making amazing TV series and movies and if Apple doesn't live up to the expectations, their streaming service will be short-lived.
The tech giant has another advantage. It has more than 360 million subscribers, which is three times more than the 139 million subscribers that Netflix has. It will be positioned very well in the market if their subscribers are happy with the content. What is your take on it? Will you pledge loyalty to Netflix or would love to try something new?
Rumored release date
We have another rumor that Apple will be launching the service on March 25 and it will available for its users from April 2019 onward. What's more interesting is that Hulu and Netflix are discouraging Apple's debut in their industry because the latter will be offering some movies, channels, and TV series for free. On the other hand, the company is demanding a 30 percent profit from the two streaming services.
Existing channels are also going to be part of the big plan. As of now, we know that CBS, Viacom, and Lions Gate’s Starz has drawn up contracts with Apple. HBO is still in talks and the channel agreeing is a 50 - 50 chance. Data sharing and revenue percentage are two of the biggest issues that have kept the contracts pending. You might be thinking, there's no way we know about what is Apple's secret original content. Be prepared to read some big names. We heard that Oprah and Steven Spielberg are working one TV show each. It is currently working on 20 original projects simultaneously. None of them include politics, sex, violence, religion, or swearing. The tech giant reportedly purchased movie rights for the Sundance Film Festival 2019.
There isn’t much information on how Apple plans to release its content. It will mostly be a pay per show or movie basis. No one knows yet, so we aren’t sure about it. What is your opinion after reading all this? We are already convinced Apple’s content will be interesting and are looking forward.
If you thought that our rumor basket is all empty, then you are clearly mistaken. According to sources, Apple is working on a gaming and magazine subscription. It will be launched in 2019, mostly in the second half. Now, that’s called smart diversification of resources, isn’t it?
