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Apple event: Services drive new direction on old ideas

By Jason Burke

CUPERTINO, CA - MARCH 25: Filmmaker Steven Spielberg speaks during an Apple product launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park on March 25, 2019 in Cupertino, California. Apple announced the launch of it's new video streaming service, unveiled a premium subscription tier to its News app, and announced it would release its own credit card, called Apple Card. (Photo by Michael Short/Getty Images)
CUPERTINO, CA - MARCH 25: Filmmaker Steven Spielberg speaks during an Apple product launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park on March 25, 2019 in Cupertino, California. Apple announced the launch of it's new video streaming service, unveiled a premium subscription tier to its News app, and announced it would release its own credit card, called Apple Card. (Photo by Michael Short/Getty Images) /
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Services. That’s the buzz word surrounding the latest Apple event as the company looks to become your all in one provider for content.

It’s a strange year indeed for Apple, the conglomerate, that used to swat away competition easily with its billion-dollar mitts is trying to adapt.

Unlike most years when Apple holds extravagant, glitzy events like the one they hosted Monday, the company isn’t unveiling a new product like the next swanky iPhone or sleek MacBook. Apple, in fact, actually did that via press release last week in order to concentrate on its new direction.

This year, service, change and new direction are on the lips of the calvacade of celebrity power that adjourned the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, Calif.

It’s official, Apple has unofficially gone Hollywood.  The tech giant unveiled a new streaming service as part of it’s billion dollar bet to try and bite off a few quick bucks of the original content and digital service market that’s been out there.

Assembling what looked like an Emmy awards show, gathering A-list celebs like Steven Speilberg, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston on all together in one room to tell you that Apple is excited to offer exactly what Netflix, Amazon and Disney Plus already do.

Apple TV plus proposed a special package of original programming on your redesigned Apple TV app–for a fee, of course.  Not many details other than the name of the package were dropped and that the service would be available by autumn.

Most of the time was wasted with Big Bird and Jason Mamoa trying to divert your attention from lingering inquiries with their gaggle of directors, actors and actresses and a sleepy Chris Evans (seriously Google it).

But original streaming content wasn’t all Apple had in store. Apple News Plus is now available for the low price of $9.99 a month and offers over 300 newspapers and magazines including The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

The Apple card is a payment system that will not charge users any fees. It is slated to debut on the Wallet app this summer.

The new Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service that will feature more than 100 new and exclusive titles.  Subscribers will pay a monthly fee, but the company did not specify a price.

Big moves into journalism and finance seem to be part of the long game for Apple with the streaming service looking to draw more consumer interest in the short term.

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So basically, Apple doesn’t just want to be your device anymore. It wants to be your bank, your cable TV, your source of news and video game center, in hopes consumers will see that big white Apple logo emblazoned on the backs of their eyelids.

A few billion in the game, can Apple do what it does best by putting a new spin on something done before?