Apple is launching its own streaming service to challenge Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But is the company too late to the game?

With the "world's most creative storytellers" recruited for its original content, some argue that Apple TV plus has the potential to be a "Netflix killer".

However, it could fail to stand out in an already crowded market, reports Perspecs.

The Claim

Business Today argues that Apple's new video streaming service could be a "Netflix killer". While critics say it is 'too little, too late' for the company to enter into the streaming market, "the game has just begun" for Apple.

Apple has often been late to the game, but it has still succeeded in a variety of markets. While the company was not the first to come up with personal computers, portable music players, phones or tablets, it has "managed to conquer the market and decimate its competitors".

Its reach could also challenge Netflix's dominance in the streaming market. Business Today notes: "There are over a billion active Apple devices on which Apple can push its streaming service. Netflix has around 140 million subscribers.

"Apple doesn't really have to try too hard to catch up and beat Netflix at its game. All it needs is a push notification."

Apple TV plus' budget is significantly lower than the money Netflix pumps into its original content, but the company has a $257 billion cash reserve.

They add: "Budget is the least of Apple's problems as far as producing new and original content is concerned."

The Counterclaim

However, the Daily Telegraph's James Titcomb says that the so-called Netflix killer has "failed to live up to its name".

He calls it the wrong phrase to describe Apple TV plus because "it does not seem like a plan to take on Netflix directly" and "it is certainly not a fully-fledged alternative".

The new streaming service is supposedly focusing on quality, rather than quantity. Titcomb argues: "We will have to wait until autumn's release to judge that claim, but what we do know suggests it might be hard pressed to convince customers that it represents value for money."

The rumoured $1billion budget for original content is a tenth of Netflix's planned investment in original content this year, as well as being below the budget for Amazon Prime Video.

The range of content on Apple TV plus will be "far from comprehensive", compared to the collections of its rivals.

Titcomb concludes: "In an increasingly crowded streaming market, it may be tough to stand out."

The Facts

Apple TV plus is an ad-free subscription service that will debut in the autumn. It will be available in over 100 countries.

The company announced its new streaming service, along with a redesigned Apple TV app, at its "Show Time" event in California on Monday.

Apple TV plus will be accessed through the Apple TV app on iOS, Mac, Roku, Fire TV, and televisions from various manufacturers, including Samsung, Sony, LG, and Vizio.

The company has recruited the "world's most creative storytellers" for the streaming service. Steven Spielberg will oversee a reboot of his 1985 fantasy, horror, and sci-fi anthology series 'Amazing Stories'.

Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Anniston will star in a comedy/drama about a morning talk show, while Aquaman actor Jason Momoa will appear in 'See', a sci-fi epic on which everyone in the world is blind. Star Wars director J.J Abrams will also executive-produce a musical dramedy.

According to The Next Web, Apple does not seem interested in using content from other broadcasters on Apple TV plus. They report: "As far as we can tell, Apple TV plus is entirely about original content."

Apple is yet to reveal the monthly price of its streaming service. It has been rumoured that it will slightly undercut Netflix's monthly subscription cost, which is currently between £5.99 and £9.99 in the UK.

Perspecs - a news app like no other

Perspecs is a free app that curates the top news stories from a variety of established regional, national and international news sources. Unlike traditional aggregators and news curation services, Perspecs goes a step further and offers readers 3 polarised opinions of the same story.

How these opinions are categorised can vary. For political stories this could be in the form of 'left', 'background', 'right'. For review items the categories could be 'negative', 'neutral', 'positive'.

Readers often stick to their regular sources of news therefore often only ever seeing one side of a story. Perspecs will give you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective and allow you to form your own informed opinion.

Perspecs will publish 1 edition per day and each edition will be packed with a variety of interesting and sometimes controversial topics. Most importantly, there will be three sides to every story.

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