Apple is taking a page from the playbooks of Netflix and Hulu and will offer sports content on a new premium version of Apple TV.
The tech giant announced a new subscription-based Apple TV app on Monday, dubbed Apple TV+. The service will offer exclusive and unlimited access to original shows, movies, and documentaries. Prices for the ad-free, on-demand platform will be unveiled this fall.
Sports fans will be able to see the scores of live games, check out upcoming matchups, and get notifications when their favorite teams are involved in close games.
Apple additionally demoed a redesigned and upgraded version of the Apple TV app, which will include à la carte access to channels such as HBO, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, Smithsonian Channel, and Starz, as well as sports channels, news, and content from network TV. All will be available both on and offline.
App users will be able to access content from 150 streaming platforms via the Apple TV app, including Amazon Prime and Hulu. Pay-TV services such as Charter Spectrum, DIRECTV NOW and PlayStation Vue will also be included, with Optimum and Suddenlink being added later this year.
SportTechie Takeaway
Apple’s content play has been in the works for years, but services have become an increasingly important part of Apple’s strategy as sales of the iPhone have slowed. The company still makes roughly 75 percent of its revenue from its flagship smartphone, but Apple CEO Tim Cook in recent years has placed greater emphasis on services such as the App Store, AppleCare, Apple Music, and Apple TV.
Apple isn’t trying to compete with ESPN+ and other sports streaming networks, and sports isn’t necessarily the major focus of Apple TV. But the company is positioning itself as an aggregator, helping people access content from an array of existing broadcasters and streaming platforms on a spectrum of devices.