Apple Event 2019: More TV Shows, News, Oprah and the Biggest Ads

After a week of almost daily updates on hardware, Apple has finally unveiled its software news with an avalanche of new subscription services. Today, Apple subscriptions are about TV news, television, and video games, just one week after Google's Google Stadia was unveiled at the Game Developers Conference.

Today's speech also allowed Apple to create a new business with a new credit card service. All of the above services emphasize privacy as a key differentiator for Apple, with each product stating that there will be no advertising and that your consumer behavior will never be shared with marketers. Interestingly, many products advertised today have not been the subject of a live stage demonstration and most will be available later this year.

Here's a recap of the biggest announcements of today's event.

Apple News Plus

Apple adds magazines to the Apple News line with Apple News Plus. The monthly subscription of $ 9.99 is available today in the United States and Canada. The indicated price covers the family sharing. The first month is free.

Apple News Plus displays magazines with a new "Live Cover" presentation, slightly animating the covers for an interactive look. Under the cover, highlighted stories are listed with introductory notes and the service recommends stories you may like even if they come from magazines you do not usually read. You can also browse the magazines you have subscribed to and new numbers are automatically downloaded for offline reading as soon as they are published.

At launch, subscribers can access 300 magazines. Other digital and traditional news partners are also part of the service, including: The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. Apple insists on the privacy of its app, noting that advertisers can not track what you read and therefore you do not receive targeted ads based on stories you click on.

Apple Card

Apple is following in the footsteps of Amazon on the credit card scene with the new Apple Card. Unlike traditional apps, you can apply directly to the iPhone and, once approved, the card is stored digitally on the Wallet app where you can view your account statements, your balance and the dates of your account. ;payment deadline. The app also identifies locations and retailers to help you navigate through transactions and remember where you may have made that purchase.

The card also generates new security codes each time you make a purchase. It does not even have a credit card number, CVV, signature or expiration date. (You can, however, generate one if you plan to buy something on a site that does not yet support the Apple card, but takes 16-digit credit card information.) The details of what you have purchased are also stored locally to prevent potential new targeting ads.

The Apple Card, backed by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, also offers a 2% cashback reward (3% for Apple purchases) that is paid daily to your Apple Pay account that you can use to pay the balance of your card credit and integrated purchases. , or transfer to friends. The card must be accepted wherever Mastercard is located. Apple will also offer a physical titanium card for real-life or travel uses, but the rewards for these purchases are 1% refund.

According to Apple, there are no late fees or interest rate increases for late payments, but we will read the details to see if there are any limits. The application will propose a wheel indicating the amount of interest you will end up paying according to the minimum payments you make to help you make your decisions. The Apple card will be available this summer.

Apple Arcade

The iPhone has never been high on the list of what you consider a traditional gaming device, but it hopes to change that with the new Apple Arcade game subscription service. Unlike the cloud gaming services announced by Google last week at the GDC, the Apple version is more like a subscription to games available through the App Store than traditional titles that you can play on consoles like the PlayStation, the Xbox or the Nintendo Switch (unless, of course, the game is also offered on iOS).

The company has not revealed any subscription fees, but it says it will include access to more than 100 exclusive games to iOS. You can also play games on Apple devices, including the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple TV and a Mac computer. Games will also be available offline.

Apple TV Channels

The new Apple TV update will now focus on channels such as HBO, PBS, CBS, Acorn TV and Tastemade, without users using such an application for a third-party application. Called Apple TV channels, subscribers can choose which channels they want to subscribe to and pay per channel rather than a traditional cable package. However, the awards were not shared during the conference.

The Apple TV app will receive an update for channels in May. The app will also be available on Mac in the fall and will be available via Smart TVs, Roku and Amazon Fire TV starting this spring. The badistance will extend to more than 100 countries, but the company has not specified a regional launch schedule.

And also … Apple TV Plus!

In addition to the new Channels service for Apple TV, there is now a Plus set for original programming. Unfortunately, Apple has not announced many details other than the name and it would be available in the fall with online and offline viewing. The rest of the time, he introduced a group of directors, actors and actresses to help unveil Apple TV Plus, including Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg, Jason Momoa, Steve Carell and Alfre Woodard . Sesame StreetBig Bird and Kumail Nanjiani.

Famous people laughed. Famous people forced everyone to participate in a light ASMR. Sara Bareilles arrived and sang.

In the end, we did not receive any trailers for the programs that these celebrities came to boast about. There will be original programming including documentaries on the lives of immigrants in America, science fiction about a world where people are blind, and children's programming. Sesame Street characters. Oprah will have two documentaries on harbadment and mental health at work. I guess we'll see more trailers in the fall.