Apple's TV streaming event: How to watch and what to expect

With hardware out of the way, there's only one thing left for Apple to talk about: Services.

Apple's streaming TV service: Expected release date, price, and shows to expect
Apple will soon hold a special event at its Cupertino campus.

The company has also recently announced several new hardware products via press releases. Apple updated the iPad mini, iPad Air, the iMac lineup, and released an update to its wireless earbuds, the AirPods. Now, with a trio of hardware announcements out of the way, it has cleared the way for a handful of services announcements at its special event.

Apple's TV streaming event: How to watch

On Monday, March 25, Apple will hold a special event. It starts at 10 am PT, and will be held in Steve Jobs Theater. The company will live stream the keynote on its website and through its Apple TV events app.

Apple's TV streaming event: What to expect
NOT A NETFLIX COMPETITOR

The streaming TV product, in the form it will be announced on Monday, isn't shaping up to be a direct competitor to the likes of Netflix or Hulu. Instead, Apple wants to provide access to the company's own original programming as well as TV shows and movies from other sources.

For example, users will open the TV app (or whatever Apple ends up calling it), where they will find Apple's TV shows alongside content from another network. Streaming Apple's content will reportedly be free, with Apple charging users to subscribe to online-only streaming services.

The current process requires users to subscribe to channels directly through the company, or through the cable provider.

It's unclear which networks Apple has signed up for the service and will offer subscriptions. What is clear is that Netflix will not be part of the new service, according to CEO Reed Hastings.

Streaming will be possible on Apple's own products, but also through the expansion of AirPlay 2 and possibly on Samsung's TV sets that will feature iTunes access -- a partnership announced at CES 2019.

NEWS SERVICE

We expect to see Apple's News subscription service, which will combine various magazines and newspapers, under one monthly fee. That cost is currently rumored to be $10 per month, providing access to all participating news outlets.

According to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal has agreed to be part of the subscription offering. The New York Times and The Washington Post reportedly will not take part in the new Apple News service.

Apple News is currently installed on every iOS and Mac running the current versions of their respective operating systems. By adding a subscription tier, Apple will offer access to news services to millions of users for a single monthly fee.

The idea of paying one fee and gaining access to multiple outlets is appealing. We'll have to reserve judgment until all of the details are announced.

AIRPOWER

There's one last hardware product that Apple has been expected to announce possibly as soon as Monday's event, but the wireless charging pad, which was announced in September 2017 for release in 2018, wasn't included in the hardware announcements made leading up to the event.

The most recent rumor from DigiTimes claims AirPower will be released in late March. If true, that doesn't leave much time for an AirPower release, and it leaves the door open for at least a mention of the product on stage.



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