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Apple TV app comes to Amazons Fire TV Stick and other devices

Ahead of the launch of Apple TV+ on November 1, Apple’s Apple TV app has begun to roll out to other platforms beyond Apple’s own streaming media player, Mac computers and iOS devices. Earlier this month, for example, the app arrived on Roku devices. Today, it’s hitting Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K.

Specifically, it will be available to Fire TV Stick 2nd Generation and Fire TV Stick 4K users in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain and India, starting today.

Fire TV Basic Edition customers in more than 50 countries will also be able to find the new app in the Amazon Appstore on their Fire TV. Though not yet available, the app will launch soon on Fire TV Cube (1st and 2nd Gen.), Fire TV (3rd Gen pendant design), plus Toshiba and Insignia Fire TV Edition smart TVs, and Nebula soundbar.

It’s not compatible with the Fire TV (1st and 2nd Gen) or Fire TV Stick (1st Gen), Amazon says.

While the app is necessary for being able to stream from Apple TV+, that’s not all it does.

Within the Apple TV app, you’re also able to access your iTunes library, including any shows or movies you’ve purchased or rented. However, if you want to buy or rent something new, you’ll need to do so from an Apple device first in order to have the content show up within the app.

For Apple to have an app available on Amazon’s platform at all took years of negotiations.

As Apple’s interest in the world of streaming media and related devices grew, it also had to acknowledge that its walled garden approach needed to be set aside. In 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook finally announced that Prime Video would come to Apple TV. Since then, the two companies have eased up on their restrictions against each others’ products.

The following year, Amazon expanded its assortment of Apple inventory to include other devices besides Apple TV — like iPads, iPhones, Apple Watch and Beats headphones. It also brought its FreeTime Unlimited app to iOS, while Apple Music arrived on Echo devices.

This March, Apple Music launched on Fire TV, as well.

And with Apple TV+, Apple is even more of a rival to Amazon, which runs its own streaming service, Prime Video.

Apple, however, has a smaller lineup for Apple TV+ with shows like “Dickinson,” “The Morning Show,” “See,” “For All Mankind” and others. It’s unclear how well these series will perform with audiences, but Apple is giving away a year of access to its service with the purchase of new Apple devices. That gives it time to find its footing, even if several of its first tries bomb.

Amazon says it will announce, via Twitter, when the Apple TV app is released for other devices.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/24/apple-tv-app-comes-to-amazons-fire-tv-stick-and-other-devices/

Spotify gains Siri support on iOS 13, arrives on Apple TV

In a long-awaited move, Spotify announced this morning its iOS 13 app would now offer Siri support and its streaming music service would also become available on Apple TV. That means you can now request your favorite music or podcasts using Siri voice commands, by preferencing the command with “Hey Siri, play…,” followed by the audio you want and concluding the command with “on Spotify.”

The Siri support had been spotted earlier while in beta testing, but the company hadn’t confirmed when it would be publicly available.

According to Spotify, the Siri support will also work over Apple AirPods, on CarPlay and via AirPlay on Apple HomePod.

In addition, the Spotify iOS app update will include support for iPhone’s new data-saver mode, which aids when bandwidth is an issue.

Spotify is also today launching on Apple TV, joining other Spotify apps for TV platforms, including Roku, Android TV, Samsung Tizen and Amazon Fire TV.

The app updates are still rolling out, so you may need to wait to take advantage of the Apple TV support and other new features.

The lack of Siri support for Spotify was not the streaming music service’s fault — it wasn’t until iOS 13 that such support even became an option. With the new mobile operating system launched in September, Apple finally opened up its SiriKit framework to third-party apps, allowing end-users to better control their apps using voice commands. That includes audio playback on music services like Spotify, as well as the ability to like and dislike tracks, skip or go to the next song and get track information.

Pandora, Google Maps and Waze were among the first to adopt Siri integration when it became available in iOS 13 — a clear indication that some of Apple’s chief rivals have been ready and willing to launch Siri support as soon as it was possible.

Though the integration with Siri will be useful for end-users and beneficial to Spotify’s business, it may also weaken the streaming company’s antitrust claims against Apple.

Spotify has long stated that Apple engages in anti-competitive business practices when it comes to its app platform, which is designed to favor its own apps and services, like Apple Music, it says. Among its chief complaints was the inability of third-party apps to work with Siri, which gave Apple’s own apps a favored position. Spotify also strongly believes the 30% revenue share required by the App Store hampers its growth potential.

The streamer filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union in March. And now, U.S. lawmakers have reached out to Spotify to request information as a part of an antitrust probe here in the states, reports claim. 

Despite its new ability to integrate with Siri in iOS 13, Spotify could argue that it’s still not enough. Users will have to say “on Spotify” to take advantage of the new functionality, instead of being able to set their default music app to Spotify, which would be easier. It could also point out that the support is only available to iOS 13 devices, not the entire iOS market.

Along with the Apple-related news, Spotify today also announced support for Google Nest Home Max, Sonos Move, Sonos One SL, Samsung Galaxy Fold, and preinstallation on Michael Kors Access, Diesel and Emporio Armani Wear OS smartwatches.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/07/spotify-gains-siri-support-on-ios-13-arrives-on-apple-tv/

Apple tweaks its App Store algorithm as antitrust investigations loom

That Apple has used its App Store to offer itself a competitive advantage is nothing new. TechCrunch and others have been reporting on this problem for years, including those times when Apple chose to display its apps in the No. 1 position on the Top Charts, for example, or when it stole some of the App Store’s best ideas for its own, banned apps that competed with iOS features or positioned its apps higher than competitors in search. Now, in the wake of antitrust investigations in the U.S. and abroad, as well as various anti-competitive lawsuits, Apple has adjusted the App Store’s algorithm so fewer of its own apps would appear at the top of the search results.

The change was reported by The New York Times on Monday, which presented Apple with a lengthy analysis of app rankings.

It even found that some searches for various terms would display as many as 14 Apple-owned apps before showing any results from rivals. Competitors could only rank higher if they paid for an App Store search ad, the report noted.

That’s a bad look for Apple, which has recently been trying to distance itself and its App Store from any anti-competitive accusations.

In May, for example, Apple launched a new App Store website designed to demonstrate how it welcomes competition from third-party apps. The site showed that for every Apple built-in app, there were competitors available throughout the App Store.

But availability in the store and discoverability by consumers are two different things.

Apple admitted to the NYT that for over a year many common searches on the App Store would return Apple’s own apps, even when the Apple apps were less popular or relevant at times. The company explained the algorithm wasn’t manipulated to do so. For the most part, Apple said its own apps ranked higher because they’re more popular and because they come up in search results for many common terms. The company additionally said that one feature of the app’s algorithm would sometimes group apps by their maker, which gave Apple’s own apps better rankings than expected.

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Above: via the NYT, the average number of Apple apps that returned at the top of the search results by month

Apple said it adjusted the algorithm in July to make it seem like Apple’s own apps weren’t receiving special treatment. According to the NYT, both Apple VP Philip Schiller, who oversees the App Store, and SVP Eddy Cue, who oversees many of Apple’s apps, confirmed that these changes have not fully fixed the problem.

The issue, as Apple explains it, is that its own apps are so popular that it had to tweak its algorithm to pretend they are not. Whether or not this is true can’t be independently verified, however, as Apple doesn’t allow any visibility into metrics like searches, downloads or active users.

Maybe it’s time for Apple’s apps to exit the App Store?

The report, along with the supposed ineffectiveness of the algorithm’s changes, begs the question as to whether Apple’s apps should show up in the App Store’s charts and search results at all, and if so, how.

To be fair, this is a question that’s not limited to Apple. Google today is facing the same problem. Recently, the CEO of a popular software program, Basecamp, called Google’s paid search ads a “shakedown,” arguing that the only way his otherwise No. 1 search result can rank at the top of the search results page is to buy an ad. Meanwhile, his competitors can do so — even using his brand name as the keyword to bid against.

The same holds true for the App Store, but on a smaller scale than the entirety of the web. That also makes Apple’s problem easier to solve.

For example, Apple could simply choose to offer a dedicated section for its own software downloads, and leave the App Store as the home for third-party software alone.

This sort of change could help to eliminate concerns over Apple’s anti-competitive behavior in the search results and chart rankings. Apple might balk against this solution, saying that users should have an easy way to locate and download its own apps, and the App Store is the place to do that. But the actual marketplace itself could be left to the third-party software while the larger App Store app — which today includes a variety of app-related content, including app reviews, interviews with developers, app tips and a subscription gaming service, Apple Arcade — could still be used to showcase Apple-produced software.

It could just do so outside the actual marketplace.

Here’s how this could work. If users wanted to re-install an Apple app they had deleted or download one that didn’t come pre-installed on their device, they could be directed to a special Apple software download page. Pointers to this page could be in the App Store app itself as well as in the iOS Settings.

An ideal spot for this section could even be on the existing Search page of the App Store.

With a redesign, Apple could offer a modified search screen where users could optionally check a box to return a list of apps results that would come only from Apple. This would indicate intentional behavior on the consumer’s part. That is, they are directly seeking an Apple software download — as opposed to the current situation where a user searches for “Music” and sees Apple’s own music app appear above all the others from rivals like Spotify and Pandora.

Alternately, Apple could just list its own apps on this page or offer a link to this dedicated page from the search screen.

And these are just a few variations on a single idea. There are plenty of other ways the App Store could be adjusted to be less anti-competitive, too.

As another example, Apple could also include the “You Might Also Like” section in its own apps’ App Store listings, as it does for all third-party apps.

ImageAbove: Apple Music’s App Store Listing

This section directs users to other apps that match the same search query right within the app’s detail page. Apple’s own apps, however, only include a “More by Apple” section. That means it’s keeping all the search traffic and consumer interest for itself.

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Above: Spotify’s App Store Listing

Or it could reduce the screen space dedicated to its own apps in the search results — even if they rank higher — in order to give more attention to apps from competitors while still being able to cater to users who were truly in search of Apple’s software.

But ultimately, how Apple will have to behave with regard to its App Store may be left to the regulators to decide, given Apple’s failure to bake this sort of anti-competitive thinking into its App Store design.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/09/apple-tweaks-its-app-store-algorithm-as-antitrust-investigations-loom/

Updated Apple TV app arrives ahead of Apple TV+s fall launch

Here’s a big Apple TV update. Not THE big Apple TV update. The whole Apple TV+ thing is still forthcoming, but this major update to the app should go a ways toward setting the stage for its arrival in the fall.

The new version of the app arrives today across a slew of different platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and all of Samsung’s 2019 Smart TVs (and select 2018 models) — per the announcement the company made earlier this year at the big TV+ event.

That event also offered previews of a lot of what’s new here. The whole thing breaks down into three key categories: Apple TV channels, a new recommendation system for iTunes movies and TV shows and a new dedicated kids section.

Channels are the biggest change here — it’s essentially Apple’s push to transform Apple TV into its cable provider. Available channels include HBO, Starz, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX and Tastemade, with CBS All-Access and MTV Hits coming in the future.

A big piece of the offering is the ability to download and watch shows offline, so users can, say, download episodes of Game of Thrones for a long flight. This is, notably, the first time HBO has offered that ability to a third party. Apple won’t say what the download limit is, but it’s likely large enough that most users won’t hit.

Once subscribed, channels will be available through Family Sharing, with up to six accounts using their Apple ID. Speaking of families, the update also includes a devoted kids section, which includes curated family-friendly TV shows and movies.

Apple’s applied editorial curation across the board here, similar to what it’s done with other apps like Books and Music. The app uses a combination of algorithms and editorial curation, designed to help users figure out what to watch next before scrolling to the end of the page.

In addition to the above, select Samsung, Vizio, LG and Sony sets will be able to access it using app mirroring.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/13/the-updated-apple-tv-arrives-ahead-of-apple-tvs-fall-launch/

Everything you need to know about how to use Apple TV

Apple TV is one of the best premium streaming devices on the market. When money is no object, the clean and simple interface found on Apple TV is sure to be a hit with users of all ages. It might take you a moment to get used to its touch remote and menus. But once you learn the basics, youll be streaming with joy. And were here to help you get a head start. Whether youre new to streaming or an old-school fan, heres everything you need to know about how to use Apple TV.    

Apple TV vs. Apple TV+

On Monday, March 25, Apple introduced , a new streaming service that will feature original content from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Jennifer Aniston, and plenty more A-list celebrities. (You can read more about the here.) Apple TV+ will also include “channels” that you can add like , , and , which will function similarly to . The service will debut this fall.

While you’ll obviously be able to stream Apple TV+ on your Apple TV, the service will also be available on other devices like Amazon Fire TV and Roku. Confused yet? To put it plainly, Apple TV is the actual device you’ll use to stream content, and Apple TV+ is a streaming service (like Netflix or Hulu) that you can watch using your Apple TV.

How to use Apple TV

How to install Apple TV

Apple TV comes with almost everything you need right out of the box: the device, a Siri remote, a power cord, and a lightning charger for the remote. The only thing that’s missing is an HDMI cable. When you’re ready to get started, pull the Apple TV out of its box, connect it to your TV via an HDMI cable, and then plug in the power cord.

Unlike other streaming devices, Apple TV comes with an ethernet port for users who like the power of a wired internet connection. The device also has a built-in 802.11 Wi-Fi thats capable of streaming 4K content if your connection is strong enough.

When you see the Apple TV setup menu, pick up your Siri remote. To pair the remote with your Apple TV, click the touch surface at the top of your remote. If the remote doesnt automatically pair, hold down the Menu and Volume Up buttons at the same time for five seconds. Next, choose your language. If you use an iOS device, Apple TV can connect to your phone to transfer important information, such as the login information for your Wi-Fi, iTunes, and iCloud accounts. This also connects your phone to your Apple TV for use as a remote when you inevitably lose your tiny Siri remote in the couch. 

Apple

If you have a pay TV subscription, Apple TV will prompt you to find your TV provider. When you find your provider, enter your email and password to access channels associated with your TV plan. If you dont see your provideror just don’t subscribe to a TV packageskip this step. Youll notice while navigating that the menu prompts you to use voice search. Hold down the microphone button the remote to dictate the name of your provider. Later, you can use this feature for finding your favorite content.

Users with multiple Apple TVs on the same iCloud account will be offered the chance to create one Home Screen for all their devices. In most homes where theres only one Apple TV, this step wont be an issue. For a longer explainer on connecting multiple Apple devices, check out Apples guide here.

Once youve finished the installation process, your Apple TV will take you to the home page.   

At the Apple event, the company demoed a new version of the Apple TV app, but it’s unclear when it will roll out.   

How to use your Apple TV remote

The current generation of Apple TVs come with the Siri voice remote. At the top of the remote is a shiny glass touch surface. Youll use this to navigate around menus on your Apple TV, sliding your finger up, down, left, and right to move the cursor. Once youve found the app or show youd like to watch, press down on the touch surface. It also functions as the selection button.

If you quickly press the Menu button, it will take you to the last screen you were on if you press it quickly. If you hold down the Menu button, it will take you to the Home screen where your apps await. Next to the Menu button, youll find the TV button, which takes you to the TV app if you press it once and the Home screen if you press it twice.

Below, youll find the Siri, Volume, and Play/Pause buttons. Volume and Play/Pause function exactly as youd imagine. The Siri button activates Apple TVs Siri voice search, letting you pull up apps, command shows, and search for movies with your voice.

If youd like to fast forward or rewind while watching video content, swipe your finger either forward or back on the touch surface of the remote. Finally, to charge your remote, plug it into the Lightning cable that comes with your Apple TV. You can also charge any other iOS devices with the Lightning cable.

Select your favorite streaming apps

The first time you use your Apple TV, youll find a basic assortment of apps. At the top of the menu will be your Apple content: Movies, TV Shows, Music, Settings, etc. After you set up your device, youll need to add your favorite streaming services. To do this, select the App Store to download it to your Apple TV. Youll also notice an app called TV.

Apples TV app collects everything there is to watch among the major apps and puts it in one place. On paper, its a great idea, but in practice, the app is often more frustrating that it is useful. Its easier to just use the specific apps of the services youve subscribed to.

Users can move apps around their home screen by placing the cursor over them and holding down the select button on the touchpad. Once the app is selected, move it around the menu using the direction controls on your remote.     

How to turn off your Apple TV

Ready to stop watching? Putting your Apple TV to sleep is easy. Go to the menu screen and hold down the Play/Pause button for three seconds. This will put your Apple TV into a low power sleep mode. Because the Apple TV doesnt have an On/Off switch, the only way to truly turn off the device is unplugging it. However, sleep mode serves largely the same function and allows Apple TV to update itself while youre away.

Each of the major streaming TV solutions is currently available on Apple TV: , , , ,, , and . The bad news is that youll have to pay to use any of them. Unlike competitor , Apple TV doesnt include options. With the notable exception of Philo, almost every streaming TV option for Apple TV supports local channels. You can find our coverage of what local channels come with each service here.  

Apple TV

Apple TV apps

What are the best Apple TV apps?

Your Apple TV comes preloaded with iTunes Movies, iTunes TV Shows, the App Store, Photos, Music, Search, Computers, and Settings. Movies and TV Shows are where youll find any media content youve bought on the iTunes store. The App Store helps you download apps, games, and services for your Apple TV. Photos and Music allow you to play content from your iCloud and Apple music library on your TV set. Search is a universal search bar for your Apple TV, referencing content from all of your apps. Computers will let you stream media from the computers on the same shared network as your Apple TV. Finally, Settings is where you can adjust the device’s settings to your liking.

Youll notice none of those apps are much fun without a preexisting iTunes library. Here are some of the best apps on Apple TV to get you started.

1)

: $8.99 per month for standard definition, $12.99 per month for HD, and $13.99 per month for

started the wave of streaming services back in the day, and it’s still leading the industry. While have caused some controversy, Netflix’s massive library and licensed content can’t be beaten. From massive Hollywood hits like Incredibles 2 to its original series , Netflix has a little bit of something for everyone.

2)

Cost: $5.99 per month for Hulu with Limited Commercials, $11.99 for Hulu with No Commercials, and $44.99 per month for

Love TV shows but don’t mind streaming them later? Hulu remains the best deal in streaming TV, with a recent price drop making it even sweeter. For about $6 a month, you get access to today’s biggest network shows, along with thousands of archival TV series and movies. Sure, there are ads, but the tradeoff is a constant influx of new programming every week.

3)

Cost: $119 per year for the complete Amazon Prime, including two-day shipping, streaming video, and more. Prime Video by itself is $8.99 per month.

has massively improved over the last year, thanks in large part to Amazon’s dedication to original content and catalog titles. Amazon Studios is an Oscar-winning powerhouse, and Prime lets you stream the films they make in beautiful 4K at no extra charge. Prime’s original series from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to Jack Ryan rival anything HBO or Netflix are doing in both comedy and action. Add to that tens of thousands of movies and TV series to search through, and Prime is a killer app.

Apple TV extra features

iTunes purchases and rentals automatically play in 4K if available

One feature to love about the Apple TV is the 4K upgrade on video content bought and rented via iTunes. If you have a large, pre-existing library of iTunes movies youve been buying for years, your Apple TV will automatically play them in the best image quality available. As someone who spent a ton of money on DVDsonly to spend even more switching over to BlueRaythis free upgrade is a blessing. 

iTunes

Even better, Apple doesnt up-charge for 4K movies. For example Mission Impossible: Fallout as a new release on costs $24.99 for the 4K edition. On iTunes, the movie can be purchased for $19.99. For digital movie collectors, this little feature in Apple TVs iTunes movies is a blessing. But keep in mind: It’s only available on the Apple TV 4K. 

New to ? Here are our picks for the and . If youre looking for a specific channel, heres how to , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , the , , and , as well as . If youre on the move, heres how to and .

 

Read more: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/how-to-use-apple-tv/

What to expect from Apples Show Time event

The biggest surprise about next week’s Apple event may be the fact that the company has anything left to announce. This week, several core pieces of Apple hardware received upgrades, including the iPad Air and mini, iMac and AirPods. Given the company’s rush to get all of that out the door, we don’t expect to see much in the way of new devices at Monday’s event.

Apple sent invites announcing that March 25 will be “Show Time.” The wording was a subtle nod to the “It’s Showtime” invites the company sent for its 2006 Special Event, which saw the announcement of, among other things iTV — an early peek at the product that would launch as Apple TV the following year.

This time out, however, the company is all about the services. Taking center stage will be its long-awaited original content play. Apple couldn’t keep the news fully under wraps as it pumped around $1 billion into content, so we’ve been hearing dribs and drabs over the past year or so (more on that below), including hiring everyone from Oprah to Spielberg.

The service is set to compete with the biggest names in streaming, including Amazon, Netflix and Hulu, along with long-rumored newcomers like Disney. Among the more compelling reports we’ve seen surface so far involve the company helping to sell you other streaming services.

In a sense, it wouldn’t be entirely unlike the current Apple TV model. Reports have the company building a new content store focused on offering bundles with cable services like HBO, Showtime and Starz. Put more simply, Apple may be looking to disrupt cable TV by essentially becoming a cable TV provider. Its tremendous hardware outreach will play a major role in helping it gain a toehold — like Apple Music before it.

As for the original content, it’s not clear whether Apple plans to monetize these shows at all. Instead, reports suggest that it could make them available for free to viewers with an Apple device.

Here are all of the projects that have been revealed so far. Keep in mind that they’re in various stages of development, and, as such, may change dramatically or never see the light of day.

  • “Amazing Stories” — a reboot of the science fiction anthology series executive produced (in both its old and new versions) by Steven Spielberg.
  • “Are You Sleeping?” — a crime show about true crime podcasts, executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and starring Octavia Spencer.
  • “Calls” — an adaptation of a French short-form series emphasizing audio storytelling.
  • “Central Park” — an animated musical comedy from Loren Bouchard (creator of “Bob’s Burger”), as well as Josh Gad and Nora Smith.
  • “Defending Jacob” — a thriller adapted from William Landay’s novel, starring Chris Evans.
  • “Dickinson” — a coming-of-age series about the poet Emily Dickinson, starring Hailee Steinfeld.
  • “For All Mankind” — a space race-themed science fiction series from Ronald D. Moore, who created the acclaimed reboot of “Battlestar Galactica.”
  • “Foundation” — an adaptation of the classic science fiction series by Isaac Asimov, with David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman as showrunners.
  • “Home” — a documentary series about extraordinary homes.
  • “Little America” — an immigrant-themed anthology series showrun by Lee Eisenberg (“The Office”) and Alan Yang (“Master of None”).
  • “Little Voice” — a romantic dramedy executive produced by J.J. Abrams and the creative team behind the “Waitress” musical, Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson.
  • “Losing Earth” — a series based on Nathaniel Rich’s New York Times magazine story and book about the history of climate activism.
  • “Magic Hour” — a mystery series inspired by the real-life story of Hilde Lysiak, executive produced and directed by Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”).
  • “My Glory Was I Had Such Friends” — a series that reunites J.J. Abrams and Jennifer Garner (Garner will star, and both will executive produce), based on the Amy Silverstein memoir of the same name.
  • “Pachinko” — a series based on the Min Jin Lee novel, a multi-generational saga about a Korean family.
  • “See” — a science fiction drama written by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”) and directed by Francis Lawrence (multiple “Hunger Games” sequels).
  • “Shantaram” — A series based on the novel by Gregory David Robert, about a man who escapes from an Australian prison and ends up in Bombay.
  • “Swagger” — a scripted series inspired by basketball star Kevin Durant’s life.
  • “The Morning Show” — a drama about the world of morning TV, starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell.
  • “Time Bandits” — a reboot of the cult classic Terry Gilliam film, co-written and directed by Taika Waititi.
  • Untitled Brie Larson series — a show featuring the “Captain Marvel” star, based on the real-life experiences of undercover CIA operative Amaryllis Fox.
  • Untitled Colleen McGuinness series — a comedy series inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s short story collection “You Think It, I’ll Say It.”
  • Untitled Damien Chazelle series — not much is known about the content of the series, but the “La La Land” director is expected to write and direct every episode of the first season.
  • Untitled M. Night Shyamalan series — a thriller written by Tony Basgallop, with Shyamalan directing the first episode and executive producing.
  • Untitled Oprah projects — Oprah Winfrey has signed a multi-year partnership to produce original content for Apple, though what kinds of content remains to be seen.
  • Untitled Snoopy series — a short-form series starring Snoopy and focused on STEM, which is part of a larger “Peanuts” deal between Apple and Canadian broadcaster DHX Media.
  • Untitled Richard Gere series — a drama based on the Israeli show “Nevelot.”
  • Untitled Rob McElhenny/Charlie Day series — a comedy from the team behind “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” with McElhenny playing an employee at a video game studio.
  • Untitled Simon Kinberg/David Weil series — a science fiction series co-written by Kinberg, a longtime writer and producer of “X-Men” movies.

That will no doubt monopolize the majority of the event, but Apple could well have some surprises up its sleeve. The leading contender for a second announcement is the company’s long-rumored subscription news service. As with its movie/TV plans, Apple’s reportedly been talking to a number of different publishers to launch what some are referring to as a “Netflix for News,” which would expand on its acquisition of digital magazine app Texture.

Reports have noted, however, that many outlets are less than thrilled about revenue share that would come with the service’s paid tier. Still, some big publishers, including The Wall Street Journal, are said to already be on-board for launch.

A third major rumor finds the company launching a consumer credit card through a partnership with Goldman Sachs. The investment giant’s CEO is reportedly planning to attend the event in order to launch a co-branded card.

Everything kicks off at 10am Pacific on Monday, March 25. TechCrunch will be on-hand to bring you the news as it breaks.

Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/22/apple-show-time-preview/