Finally, Apple has confirmed that they will hold a content launch event on March 25 (26th in Australia) set to be announced is a premium magazine subscription plan and new video content.
At this stage, it’s not known whether any Australian publishers have signed up with several global publishers complaining about the amount of money the company wants to take from a subscription. Recently Netflix dumped Apple for taking 30% of a Netflix subscription for simply accessing via an Apple app.
The company has pitched the event with the tagline “It’s show time.” It will be held in the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters.
What the company is hoping is that they can take on Netflix and Amazon with “sanitised” movies. CEO Tim Cook has already taken exception to violence and “risk” scenes in Apple funded productions.
The new offerings will contribute to its services segment, which is growing in revenue and importance as consumers hold onto smartphones, such as the company’s signature device, for longer before buying replacements. Apple’s services business is on pace to generate $50 billion per year by 2021, the company has said.
The magazine subscription service will be integrated into the existing Apple News app and is based on the company’s acquisition of Texture last year. The product will come as part of an iPhone and iPad software update called iOS 12.2. The company also plans an update to Apple Pay in iOS 12.2, which will lay the groundwork to support a new partnership on a credit card with Goldman Sachs Group in the USA.
