Apple to Offer Original TV Content Free to Apple Device Owners

Apple is developing a new digital video service that will combine the company's own subscription services and original television content with content from various media companies, reports CNBC.

Citing sources familiar with Apple's plans, CNBC says that Apple will provide Apple-owned and created content for free to customers who own devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with the television shows housed in the company's TV app.

tvapp
Apple already offers its current popular TV show, "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" for free to all users within the TV app. "Carpool Karaoke" was initially limited to Apple Music subscribers, but was moved to the TV app as a free offering earlier this year.

The upcoming streaming service will also include subscription channels where customers will be able to sign in to access content from other companies like HBO and Starz. The channels will be similar to Amazon Prime Video channel subscription options, with customers able to access all of their content within the TV app rather than needing to download and sign into individual apps.

Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works right now, with the company aiming to produce television shows with broad consumer appeal that won't taint its brand image. For that reason, rumors suggest Apple is avoiding risqué content that avoids nudity, raw language, and violence.

Current shows run the gamut from sci-fi to comedy, with a full list of all of Apple's products available in our Apple TV roundup. Several shows have started the casting process, including "Serial," a drama about a podcast that reopens a murder case, an untitled space drama from Ronald D. Moore, and an epic world-building drama called "See."

Rumors have suggested Apple is spending $1 billion on original content in 2018, and according to CNBC's sources, the company has been seeking out "tent pole" franchises that could draw customers to a future Netflix-style subscription service.

Peter Stern, who joined Apple in 2016, is working alongside iTunes chief Eddy Cue to establish deals with media companies in an attempt to put together Apple's planned streaming service. Stern is said to have a lighter touch than Cue, with experience in the cable industry that could help him secure the content deals Apple has previously been unable to attain.

To go along with the video subscription service, Apple is also aiming to talk print media companies into joining Texture, the magazine subscription service that it purchased earlier this year. News organizations are reluctant to give Apple control of the subscriber billing relationship, a struggle Apple will need to overcome to establish a full newspaper and magazine subscription service.

Apple is planning to launch a revamped TV app in early 2019, which is likely when we'll hear more about its upcoming subscription plans.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...

Top Rated Comments

deebinem Avatar
88 months ago
I'd pay double for a Jony Ive re-dub of Planet Earth...
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sputnikv Avatar
88 months ago
That’s a strong move.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ClaytonK Avatar
88 months ago
Am I the only person who dislikes the idea of my media being dependent on something as unrelated as the brand of phone I use?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sedulous Avatar
88 months ago
Is a nice perk but please Apple, rethink computer design philosophy. Good products retain customers far more than access to a few TV shows.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chew Toy McCoy Avatar
88 months ago
I'm already offended by the lack of offensive shows. They will fail if they aim for nothing but the rated G crowd, or even PG for that matter. There's already too much competition and prematurely putting extreme limitations on content is a stupid business move. They're in such a bubble at Apple HQ that they actually believe this is a void that needs to be filled simply because it fits their wishful thinking.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
palmerc2 Avatar
88 months ago
I figured they’d charge double.

Good move...I’m sure it’s driven by people considering moving to android, as a way to keep people in Apple's ecosystem.

As for me....it started with the first iPhone, then snowballed into everything Apple. Don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)