On the 25th of March 2019 a special Apple event was held and it was unlike what we have experienced before. This is just after the company introduced new additions to its hardware line (the iPads, Macs, AirPods).
The entire event was about Apple Services and did not disappoint in two specific regards. One, there were a lot of celebrities present. Two, there were also a lot of new services announced. It’s hard to say which was more exciting.
Photo by Tony Avelar (AP)
Anyway, let’s bring you up to speed on what Apple announced to the world.
Apple News Plus
Apple revamped Apple News to introduce Apple News Plus. The new subscription service Apple News Plus, will give users access to content from over 300 plus popular magazines including Billboard, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, New York Magazine, and Variety.
Getting to enjoy articles from all your favorite magazines in one location, is a fantastic concept when you think about it. Apple News Plus will also include animated covers, vivid photography and bold typography which works well on iPhone, iPad or Mac. I like the animated covers since it reminds me of Harry Potter movies.
The service will cost $9.99 (1000 Kenyan Shillings) per month and will be available to US and Canada first.
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Apple Card
The Apple Card is the company’s new kind of credit card that comes with a host of interesting features.
You can manage the card via the Apple Card option in the Apple Wallet App available on its devices.
According to Apple, the Apple Card uses machine learning and Apple maps to label transactions with merchant names and locations. Purchases are color coded and the card will also give weekly and monthly spending summaries.
The card will have a Daily Cash feature where you get a percentage of every Apple Card purchase. Basically, everytime you use Apple Card with Apple Pay, you will receive 2% Daily Cash and 3% if you make purchases directly with Apple.
Pretty cool right?
What is even crazier, is the fact that there are absolutely no annual fees, no late fees, international fees or over the limit fees.
The Apple Card does not work like normal credit cards. A unique card number is created on your iPhone for the Apple card and stored safely on the device’s secure element. Every purchase is authorized with Face ID or Touch ID using a one time dynamic security code.
Apple has partnered with MasterCard and Goldman Sachs to provide support of an issuing bank and the global payments network.
The Titanium Apple Card
Apple also designed an insanely minimalist titanium Apple Card for shopping at locations where Apple Pay is not accepted yet. For privacy purposes, this card has no card number, no CVV, security code, expiration date or signature at the card, which is something we completely do not see with normal cards.
Apple Arcade
Another services product Apple announced, is the Apple Arcade and it is centered entirely around gaming.
According to the tech giant, Apple Arcade is the “world’s first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room”.
The service will feature over 100 brand new and exclusive games. Apple says that they are contributing to the development costs and working closely with creators to bring these games ‘to life’.
On the App Store, there are currently over 300,000 free and paid games and Apple is targeting the over 1 billion gaming customers on their ecosystem..
Since it is a subscription service, Apple will allow people to try any game in the service. You will have access to the full experience (all game features, content and updates) with no additional purchases. You’ll be able to play the games offline. There is also continuity where you can pick up where they left off in a game across iOS devices..
Apple will launch Apple Arcade later in the year, to more than 150 countries worldwide.
Apple TV Channels
Photo from Appledystopia
With this subscription service, Apple gives you the option to choose your favourite networks and pay to watch them. It is a revamped version of the TV app and it is already looking promising.
The number of media stations to choose from include, HBO to CBS All Access to Starz to Showtime amongst others.
As opposed to moving from one media station app to the other, The Apple TV Channels service wants to be the one place where you watch them all from.
Apple TV Channels app will come as a software update to the Apple TV in May 2019. It will also be available on the Mac, popular smart TVs (namely Sony, LG, Samsung, Vizio), streaming sticks and streaming boxes.
Apple TV Plus
Apple TV Plus is another new subscription service from Apple which will be home to its original video content. It is one service that has been anticipated for months.
It will be a whole new Apple Tv app which will give users access to these original shows, movies and documentaries.
To kick this new subscription service off, Apple invited Big Hollywood names from the famous multi award winning director Steven Spielberg to actresses Reese Witherspoon & Jennifer Aniston to TV personalities and media moguls like Oprah Winfrey herself.
While Apple has not revealed the pricing of the new service or trailers of the TV shows, they however revealed that it will launch this this year as well.
