It’s not just Netflix, Stan, and Amazon you get to choose from with online TV choices, as Apple’s offers its own streaming service in Australia.
Australians now get a whole new selection of exclusive TV shows and films to tune into this week, as a competitor for Netflix and Stan arrives, though getting access may be difficult if you’re not a part of the Apple ecosystem.
Announced earlier in the year and now ready for consumption, Apple has launched its own take on the online pay TV space as Apple TV+, a streaming service with an Apple-specific assortment of content you won’t find anywhere else.
Similar to how Netflix offers “Queer Eye”, “Big Mouth”, and a bunch of other shows and films, Apple TV+ will see a slate that can only be found on Apple’s network, meaning if you want to watch, you’ll have to pay the monthly fee.
In Australia, an Apple TV+ subscription is set at $7.99 monthly with a seven day trial, with access made available to a shared family group, with up to six family members supported.
The slate of programs on Apple TV+ may not be as large as with other services, at least to start with, offering science-fiction titles “For All Mankind” and “See”, while the star-studded “Morning Wars” will give a look at the world of morning TV and stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell. It’s joined by a selection of other programs, including “Snoopy in Space”, a remake of “Ghostwriter”, and “Oprah’s Book Club”.
“Audiences in over 100 countries and regions can now enjoy Apple TV+, home to an all-original lineup of powerful shows and movies from today’s greatest storytellers,” said Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services at Apple.
“It was important for us to make it easy for everyone to watch across all their favourite screens, so Apple TV+ is the most broadly available Apple service ever from day one,” he said.
In terms of just how broadly available Apple TV+ is, you’ll find support across the most recent versions of Apple’s media-capable operating systems and devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac computers, finding Apple TV+ on the Apple TV app.
Apple is spreading the service out to its website for users of Safari, Chrome, and Firefox, while some TVs also get access, too. Specifically, you can find it on this year’s Samsung smart TVs through the Apple TV app, while LG and Sony TVs will see support later in the year.
Interestingly, there’s no support for Android just yet, with no release from Apple for that platform. That means no Pixel, Galaxy, or any other Android can talk to Apple TV+ just yet, though the word here may just be “yet”, with a release later down the track.
The release of Apple TV+ in Australia is the first of the month’s streaming network releases, with another “plus” service launching in November, as Disney+ is set to arrive closer to the middle of the month.
For now, Apple TV+ is available at the $7.99 monthly price, though customers who have purchased a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or iPod Touch from September 10 onwards (or who will) should see a year of the service free, while students using an Apple Music student plan will see Apple TV access free, too.
