Hey Siri, Meet the New AirPods
FROM TV TO AIRPODS TO CREDIT CARDS, APPLE’S GOT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
This spring, Apple quietly released a new iPad mini, next-generation iPad Air, and updated AirPods to very little fanfare. The very next week on March 25, Apple held an event where it debuted a news and TV subscription service, a gaming bundle, and a brand-new Apple credit card. It's been a busy spring for Apple! Here, I'll unpack each new product and service, and help answer the question—are they worth your money?
FIRST UP, APPLE’S SERVICES Apple News Plus
Apple has taken another stab at creating a digital newsstand, and it's honestly pretty nice. After acquiring newsstand app Texture a year ago, Apple has been hard at work integrating Texture into the Apple News app. The end result is sleek, interactive, and simple to navigate, featuring live covers that move like a Live photo.
For $9.99, you get access to over 300 magazines as well as a selection of content from the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. While we hoped for more newspaper partnerships, Apple had difficulty selling its desired profit split to publications such as the New York Times. Although the subscription service has been available since March 25, it will take some time to see how well each publication integrates within Apple News Plus.
Apple Card
Apple is combining forces with Goldman Sachs to provide a credit card that is fully integrated with Apple's ecosystem. You'll be able to apply from your phone, and although there will be a physical card available, it's designed to be iPhone first. Unlike other Apple products, the Apple Card will likely require a credit
check. The Apple Card has no sign-up fee, low interest rates, and excellent security features. The card uses the MasterCard payment network to manage transactions. Apple's promoting this service as a means to increase users' financial health and is therefore making an effort to make it affordable and convenient. A redesigned Wallet app will feature financial tracking with charts and trends, and you'll be able to use Messages for real-time customer support.
Instead of points, the Apple Card will put money in your account every day. Here's the breakdown: you get 1 percent back on purchases made anywhere that Apple Pay isn't accepted, 2 percent back on every Apple Pay purchase, and 3 percent back on anything you buy from Apple. Not only is the cash back offer competitive, but it's also available immediately. Instead of having to wait until the end of the month, Apple Card will add the reward to your account instantly, hence the name Daily Cash. At the end of the day, it's one of the more promising services announced for Apple's spring release.
Apple Arcade
While we won't know the full breadth of the Apple Arcade catalog until its release this fall, so far we've learned that it will offer more than 100 original and exclusive games under one subscription. None of the games will include ads or in-app purchases. You'll be able to download your games and pick up where you left off on any iOS device connected to your Apple ID. The service will also include Family Sharing for up to six family members so you and yours don't have to sign up for multiple subscriptions.
Apple TV Redesigned
Apple has promised us an overhauled TV app that will be available beginning in May. It looks fun to use and even, dare I admit it, innovative. According to rumor, Apple wanted to roll as many existing streaming services, from Netflix to Amazon Prime, into one subscription as possible. Unfortunately for Apple (and for us), that didn't work out.
What we ended up with is a redesigned Apple TV app that will provide access to individual channels with individual subscriptions, and a premium service called Apple TV Plus that will feature paid original shows produced by Apple. Even though Apple didn't get the pricing it wanted, the integration of different channels into one catalog looks flawless. For example, if you subscribe to Hulu and Netflix, then content from both services will show up side by side in the Apple TV app. No more flipping back and forth between different content providers.
With all this content available from one app, Apple is poised to improve your curated recommendations. Instead of having content recommended seperately by Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu, Apple will look at your viewing habits across all of your subscription services to offer the most personalized watchlist we're likely to have ever seen until now.
Apple TV Plus
Over the past three years, Apple has created its own studio and has been bringing in some heavy hitters to develop exclusive content. At the March 25 announcement, we saw presentations by Stephen Spielberg, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Momoa, and even singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, all in attendance to tell us about their projects. And some of the shows sound pretty cool. All of this content, plus a lot more, will be available this fall for an undetermined price.
The sci-fi drama See, by Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, reimagines a world in which humanity has adapted to life without sight. Another sci-fi offering, Amazing Stories, by Stephen Spielberg, revisits the creator's family-friendly anthology series with new content for a new audience. There'll also be comedies, like Morning Show, a collaborative effort by Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston about gender dynamics in television. Apple also announced Little America, a show that documents the experiences of everyday immigrants and their incredible journeys. Oprah made an appearance to announce two new documentaries as well as a new book club that will be available through Apple TV Plus.