Apple today shared a new video ad promoting its Apple One subscription, which bundles several Apple services together for one monthly price.
In the 30 second spot, Apple gives a quick rundown of the services that are included: Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+. "What's in Apple One? The best of Apple," reads the tagline at the end of the video.
There are multiple tiers of the Apple One subscription service with prices that start at $14.95. The highest-tier Premier plan is the only one that includes all of the services in the video, and it is priced at $29.95 per month with access available for up to six family members.
For those curious about the Apple One subscription service, we have a dedicated guide that goes over all of the details.
Amazon today has discounted the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 to a new all-time low price of $299.00, down from $399.00. This deal price is available in two colors: (PRODUCT)RED and Blue Aluminum.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To date, this is the best price we've ever seen on the Apple Watch Series 7, and as of writing it's only available on Amazon. The (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum option is in stock today, and the Blue Aluminum option has a slightly delayed shipping estimate of around five days.
The 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 is also seeing an all-time low price, but only in one color. You can get the (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum model for $329.00, down from $429.00 on Amazon.
It wouldn't be the month before an iPhone launch without a few back-and-forth rumors, with the latest debate concerning iPhone 14 Pro storage.
iPhone 14 Pro render by Ian Zelbo
While research firm TrendForce forecasted that iPhone 14 Pro models could start with an increased 256GB of storage, Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu today forecasted that the upcoming Pro models will continue to start with 128GB of storage.
Pu initially agreed that iPhone 14 Pro models would start at 256GB, but he added a 128GB tier to his specs chart for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in his latest research note. Pu now believes the Pro models will remain available in the same storage capacities as iPhone 13 Pro models, including 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Based on our recent supply chain survey, we maintain our iPhone 14 build plan to be 91m in 2H22, vs. iPhone 13's 84m in 2H21, as there is no significant issue on the supply chain. The next to watch will be iPhone 14's pricing and the wait-time when it hits the market.
Spec-wise, we add 128GB storage to the Pro line-up.
Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone 14 Pro models will have "price hikes," suggesting they will be more expensive than iPhone 13 Pro models. Kuo did not reveal exact pricing, but he said that the average selling price of the entire iPhone 14 lineup including the lower-end models will increase by about 15% overall.
In the United States, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. If there were to be a 10% price increase to the Pro models, the iPhone 14 Pro could start at $1,099, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max could start at $1,199. However, the exact price increase for the Pro models if any remains to be seen.
The rumored price increase could be due to inflation, new features expected for iPhone 14 Pro models, supply chain disruptions, and other factors.
Almost a month after launch, demand for the new M2MacBook Air continues to be high, with the notebook in relatively short supply. For just the baseline configuration, customers are facing up to a three-week wait, according to Apple's online store.
In the United States, Apple lists the MacBook Air as shipping out in two to three weeks for the baseline model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Other configurations with varying storage and memory options are listed with a one to two weeks shipping estimate.
The delay is untimely, as Apple is currently running a Back to School promotion for students preparing for classes this fall. The new MacBook Air may be an attractive purchase for students thanks to its lightweight and thin design and the battery life and performance enabled by the M2 chip.
Apple has been facing supply chain constraints in recent months, but the situation does seem to be easing. Besides the long wait for the new MacBook Air, most other Macs in Apple's lineup remain readily available for shipping with no weeks-long delay.
The highest-end Mac Studio and the 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip are the two exceptions. The Mac Studio is listed with shipping estimates of one month or longer, and customers looking for an iMac face a three- to four-week delay, according to Apple's store at the time of writing.
In the third quarter of the year, Apple's Mac business was severely constrained. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Mac supply was so low for the quarter that it was difficult to gauge actual demand for Apple's latest computers:
In terms of testing the demand, you can't really test demand unless you have the supply. We were so far from that last quarter that we have an estimate of what we believe demand was, but it is an estimate. We recognize how the industry is doing, we think that we've got a great story with the Mac, getting M1 out and now M2 out, we have a very strong offering for the back to school season and we'll see how we do this quarter. We'll report back in October.
Mac revenue for Q3 of 2022 was down to $7.3B from $8.2B in the year-ago quarter.
Apple recently removed a mention of "Hide My Email" support in third‑party apps from the macOS Ventura features page on its U.S. website, as noted by French website MacGeneration. The feature was still listed on the page as of August 3, according to the Wayback Machine, but it was removed at some point since then.
Apple's website said that you would be able to "keep your personal email address private with Hide My Email in third‑party apps" with an iCloud+ subscription. It is unclear why Apple removed the feature from the page, but it may be due to the fact that it is already possible to create randomized email addresses with Hide My Mail via the System Preferences/System Settings app or on iCloud.com and use those emails in third-party apps on the Mac.
The feature is still listed on the macOS Ventura page in many other countries, but Apple likely hasn't got around to updating its regionalized websites.
Hide My Email was first introduced on the Mac with macOS Monterey last year. The feature can generate unique, random email addresses that automatically forward to your personal inbox, allowing you to hide your actual email address for increased privacy. On macOS Monterey, the feature is directly integrated in Apple's Safari and Mail apps. In the Mail app, Hide My Mail can be found in a pop-up menu in the "From" field.
Hide My Mail is included for no additional charge with iCloud+ storage plans, which start at $0.99 per month in the U.S. Hide My Mail is also available when creating an account in Safari using the "Sign in with Apple" feature released in 2019.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 151 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, WebDriver, CSS, Rendering, Media, JavaScript, Web API, Web Components, Accessibility, Lockdown Mode, and Web Extensions.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is built on the Safari 16 update and it includes support for feature coming in macOS Ventura such as Live Text, Passkeys, Web Extension improvements, and more.
The new build of Safari Technology Preview is compatible with machines running macOS 13 Ventura, unlike prior versions of Safari Technology Preview, but it no longer works with macOS Big Sur.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
The iOS 16 update focuses primarily on the Lock Screen and new features for apps like Mail, Messages, and Photos, but Apple did make some small changes to the Notes and Reminders app, adding a handful of new options.
This guide highlights all of the new features in the Notes and Reminders apps for iOS 16, which is available now.
Notes
There are some quality of life improvements for the Notes app, most notably an option to lock notes with the same passcode used to lock your iPhone.
iPhone Quick Note
The Share Sheet has gained an "Add to Quick Note" option so you can create Quick Notes on iPhone. Add to Quick Note is an option across the iOS operating system, in first and third-party apps. You can create Quick Notes with Safari links, images, and more.
Quick Notes used to be an iPad-only feature introduced in iPadOS 15, but iOS 16 brings them to the iPhone as well. On iPad, you can create Quick Notes from the Lock Screen, but on iPhone, the Share Sheet interface is required.
Updated Smart Folders
There are new Smart Folder filters available for better note organization. Rules can be created for Date Created, Date Modified, Shared, Mentions, Checklists, Attachments, Folder, Quick Notes, Pinned Notes, and Locked Notes.
Smart Folders used to be based solely on tags, so this is a notable update to the way notes are organized.
Lock Notes With Passcode
Rather than selecting a specific passcode for a locked note, you can instead lock your notes with your iPhone's passcode. That makes more sense than thinking up a standalone password, because you're not likely to forget your iPhone passcode.
Notes locked with a passcode can be automatically unlocked with Face ID and the feature does not need to be enabled, plus you can access your locked notes across all of your devices by using the passcode for the device you're using.
Note that notes locked with your passcode can only be viewed on devices running iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS Ventura. Devices running older versions of iOS and macOS will not be able to view passcode-locked notes.
Grouping by Date
In your list of notes and your gallery view, Notes are now grouped by chronological categories like Today and Yesterday to make it easier to find your most recent notes.
Filters
When using Smart Folders or the Tag Browser, you can opt to filter for any or all of the criteria that you've chosen.
Reminders
Pinned lists, list templates, and the completed smart list bring some notable improvements for those who use the Reminders app on a regular basis.
Pinned Lists
The lists that you use most often can be pinned to the top of the Reminders app for easy access. Pinned lists show up right alongside Reminder app sections like Today, Scheduled, and Flagged.
Completed Smart List
Apple has added a whole new "Completed" section to the Reminders app that aggregates all of the reminders that you have checked off and finished. It is organized in sections that include Previous 7 Days and Previous 30 Days, then further back, it organizes reminders into months and years.
Completed reminders can be cleared out by tapping on the "Clear" button at the top of the app, or they can be deleted individually by swiping.
List Templates
If you have a list that you reuse often like a grocery list or a packing list, you can save it as a template so it can be reused anytime. When creating a new list, the template section shows up as an option so you can choose your previously created templates.
You can go into the Templates section of the Reminders app and make any template shareable. From there, you can copy a link and send it to other people.
Others are also able to share templates with you, and those templates can be imported into the Reminders app.
Scheduled and Today List Improvements
Grouping by time and date is designed to make it easier to view and add reminders. The Today List is now grouped by Morning, Afternoon, and Night for a better division of the day.
The Scheduled List has week and month groups for longer-term organization.
Improved List Groups
Any list group can be tapped to display a combined view of both the lists and the reminders that are inside.
Shared List Notifications
When tasks are added or completed in a shared list, you can opt to receive a notification.
Enhanced Notes
Notes added to reminders now support underlining, bold, and strikethrough text, plus bullet points can be used.
Filters
You can opt to filter for any or all of the criteria in a custom smart list or the tag browser.
Collaboration
Both Notes and Reminders work with the new collaboration feature that Apple implemented in iOS 16. You can send an invitation to collaborate to someone in Messages or FaceTime, and everyone on the thread is added to the Note or Reminder that you're working with.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about Notes and Reminders in iOS 16, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Apple is not anticipating a drop in iPhone sales in 2022 amid an overall smartphone market slowdown, reports Bloomberg. The Cupertino company is expecting continued strong demand for the iPhone and has asked suppliers to make 90 million iPhone 14 models, which is on par with iPhone 13 manufacturing in the same time period last year.
Apple is expecting to manufacture approximately 220 million iPhones in total in 2022, which is in line with 2021 manufacturing. Sources that spoke to Bloomberg said that Apple is able to weather a downturn in the smartphone market because the Apple customer base is still willing to spend money on premium devices.
Prior to 2021, new iPhone launches saw Apple manufacturing around 75 million devices. That was bumped up to 90 million in 2021 as the company anticipated high demand for the iPhone 13 models, and Apple is sticking with that target level for 2022.
While few changes are expected for the standard iPhone 14 models, the higher-end iPhone 14 Pro models will feature a new notchless design (with hole-punch and pill-shaped camera cutouts), an upgraded 48-megapixel camera, a faster A16 chip, an always-on display, and more.
Current rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 Pro models could have a higher starting price than the iPhone 13 Pro models, increasing the average selling price of iPhones in 2022. Apple has not provided revenue guidance since 2020, but Apple CFO Luca Maestri said during the company's second quarter earnings call that revenue growth is expected to accelerate in the September quarter, and supply constraints are expected to be lower than they were in the June quarter.
Dropbox plans to release a public beta of its Mac desktop app with full support for macOS Monterey and later in the early fourth quarter of 2022, a company representative said today in a forum post shared on Reddit.
With the release of macOS 12.3 in March, Apple deprecated kernel extensions used by cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive, resulting in users being unable to open online-only files stored on Dropbox or OneDrive in third-party apps after updating. The new version of Dropbox for Mac will include full support for opening online-only files, but the updated app has still yet to be released after several months.
If the latest timeframe promised by Dropbox is kept, the public beta for the new Mac app should be available around October to November, which is likely around the same time that Apple will publicly release macOS Ventura.
In the meantime, Dropbox users can continue to open online-only files on macOS Monterey and later by double clicking on them in the Finder app.
The full forum post reads as follows:
Hi everyone,
Thank you for reaching out. We hear your feedback and we're working hard on this experience.
A public beta for full support of macOS will be available in early Q4. For now, you can still double-click to open files in Finder. Everything else is working as usual.
Your experience on PC devices, dropbox.com, and from the latest iOS and Android apps remains unaffected. You can find more information here: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/macos-12-monterey-support.
Please ensure you have turned on early releases and once the beta is available to you, you will receive a notification.
Thank you.
Dropbox previously said it would begin rolling out an updated version of its Mac app to beta testers in March, but development has evidently taken longer, leading to many complaints in a Dropbox forum thread about the matter.
Apple today updated its Shazam app for the Mac for the first time in two years, introducing Apple silicon support for M1 and M2 Macs and adding a refreshed icon that is in line with the look of macOS Monterey.
The Shazam app for Mac is now using Apple's universal binary so it runs natively on both Intel Macs and those that have Apple-designed chips inside.
Apple finalized its purchase of Shazam back in 2018, but the Mac app has received few updates since then, making this the most notable update since the acquisition.
The Shazam app adds an icon to the Mac's menu bar that can be clicked to identify a song that is playing. The functionality is built into Siri so Mac users can access Shazam without having to install an app, but some may prefer an easy access menu bar app.
Like the Netflix app, the redesigned Prime Video app has a new vertical navigation bar along the left side and a top 10 list of popular series and movies on the service. Prime Video Channels subscriptions like AMC+ and Paramount+, sports, and live TV content are all more prominently featured, and there are larger visuals across the app.
As on the iPhone, the battery percentage appears inside the battery icon on the Mac for a consistent appearance across iOS and macOS. The existing battery indicator on the Mac can be disabled in the System Settings app in the Battery menu.
Starting with the fifth developer beta of iOS 16, it is once again possible to view an iPhone's battery percentage in the status bar without having to swipe down to open Control Center. The feature is available on most iPhones with a notch, with the exception of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, standard iPhone 11, and iPhone XR. It's possible that Apple may expand the icon to additional iPhones in later iOS 16 betas.
Apple had removed the ability to view battery percentage in the status bar when the iPhone X was released in 2017 due to the notch and only brought it back now.
Batteries for Mac is a useful app that lets you view battery percentages for an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats, and other Bluetooth devices in the macOS menu bar. The app can also provide low battery notifications for the devices on the Mac. The app is priced at $8.99 in the U.S. and is also available as part of the Setapp subscription bundle.
Suppliers for the upcoming iPhone 14 reportedly feel uncertain about how high demand will be for Apple's upcoming flagship lineup, according to supply chain sources speaking to DigiTimes.
A paywalled preview of a full story set to be published tomorrow says "uncertainty remains about demand for the new models between the end of the fourth quarter and the beginning of first-quarter 2023." Apple and its suppliers have been ramping up shipments of components ahead of mass production, which is expected to begin later this month.
Despite suppliers' uncertain sentiment, Apple is expecting the iPhone 14 series to perform quite well. Just last week, it was reported that Apple had informed suppliers to increase iPhone 14 shipments by 5% to 95 million units, higher than what the company was initially expecting.
One reason suppliers may feel uncertain about demand is a reported increase in the price of the higher-end models of the iPhone 14 lineup. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the price of the iPhone 14 lineupmay increase, possibly due to both models starting with an increased 256GB of storage.
Other than a possible price increase, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to gain several noteworthy features, including a 48MP camera, a new pill-shaped and hole-punch display cutout, better performance, and more. Learn more about the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro using our respective roundups.
Today we're tracking a pair of discounts on the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro, and both deals are in stock and ready to ship from Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
AirPods 2
Starting with the AirPods 2, you can get the headphones for $99.99, down from $129.00. This is the second-best price that we've tracked on the AirPods 2 in 2022, following the record low discount we saw during Prime Day.
This is the model of AirPods that comes with the Wired Charging Case. Apple discontinued the AirPods 2 with the Wireless Charging Case so we haven't seen any notable deals on that accessory in months.
AirPods Pro with MagSafe
Secondly, Amazon has the AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case for $179.99, down from $249.00. This is the second-best price we've ever tracked on the new AirPods Pro.
The headphones are in stock today, and they are shipped and sold directly by Amazon. The new AirPods Pro launched in 2021, and are essentially the same as the 2019 model with the addition of the new MagSafe Charging Case.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, is lashing out against Apple over the company's "obscure" App Store review process that is delaying Telegram from releasing an update to its app that will "revolutionize how people express themselves in messaging."
In his Telegram channel, Durov says that an update to Telegram for iOS that will change how people communicate has been stuck in Apple's App Store review process for over two weeks, with no communication from the company over why or when it will be approved. Durov points out that if an app as popular as Telegram receives this treatment, one can "imagine the difficulties experienced by smaller app developers."
For example, our upcoming update – which is about to revolutionize how people express themselves in messaging – has been stuck in Apple's "review" for two weeks, without explanation or any feedback provided by Apple.
If Telegram, one of the top 10 most popular apps globally, is receiving this treatment, one can only imagine the difficulties experienced by smaller app developers. It's not just demoralizing: it causes direct financial losses to hundred of thousands of mobile apps globally.
Durov, a vocal critic of Apple and its App Store in the past, points out the controversial "Apple tax," which gives Apple a 30% cut of certain in-app purchases from eligible apps that make over $1 million annually. Durov calls Apple's behavior "abusive" and says that damage inflicted by the company "can't be undone."
This harm goes on top of the 30% tax Apple and Google take from app developers – which, according to them, is supposed to pay for the resources needed to review apps. The regulators in the EU and elsewhere are slowly starting to look into these abusive practices. But the economic damage that has already been inflicted by Apple on the tech industry won't be undone.
It's unclear why Apple is delaying Telegram's app update from reaching the millions of Telegram users. Most apps are typically reviewed fairly quickly, so the long wait in this instance is particularly interesting. Telegram is one of the most popular messaging services on the App Store, competing with the likes of WhatsApp, Instagram, Signal, and Apple's iMessage service.
On its website, Apple says, "every week, over 500 dedicated experts around the world review over 100K apps," adding that over 1 million submissions are rejected.
Update: Telegram's update has since been approved on the App Store, with the exception of new animated versions of Apple's emoji called Telemoji that Telegram had planned to release. Apple's App Store Review Guidelines do not allow apps to replicate Apple's emoji.
Sonos announced its third quarter earnings this week, during which it all but confirmed that its long-awaited Sub Mini subwoofer won't be coming as soon as originally planned.
Leaked in May by The Verge, the Sub Mini is a small cylindrical subwoofer that is expected to be more affordable than the current $749 Sonos Sub. The Sub Mini will wirelessly pair with the company's existing soundbar lineup, including the Ray, the second-generation Beam, and the Arc.
A month after the leak, the Sub Mini appeared on the FCC in June, suggesting the wait between filing and commercial release would follow Sonos' typical timeline. But it looks as if the Sub Mini has been delayed until the first fiscal quarter of 2023.
A Sonos spokesperson confirmed the news to The Verge in an email, saying "I can confirm we decided to push an anticipated product launch from Q4 '22 into Q1 '23." That puts the subwoofer's release to sometime between October and December.
Sonos reported lower than expected revenue in its Q3 earnings report, pointing to high inflation and the U.S. dollar's appreciation as factors that have adversely affected consumer demand for its electronics category. Sonos said it is holding onto more inventory than it would like and is facing a "challenging Q4."
Samsung yesterday announced its latest flagship foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold 4. The new foldable is the company's fourth foldable handset and comes just weeks before Apple plans to announce the iPhone 14.
The Fold 4, compared to last year's Fold 3, has minor tweaks and improvements to build quality, display, user interface, and cameras. Here we've compared five Galaxy Fold 4 features with new features expected for the upcoming iPhone 14.
New Display Material
The Galaxy Fold 4 utilizes Samsung's latest display technology and the company's M12 material set. The new display material, compared to past generations, offers richer colors and improved brightness.
According to a report from The Elec, that same material set is rumored to be used for the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max displays. The lower-end models of the iPhone 14 will stick with the M11 material set.
Other than the benefits offered by the new display material, no other display tech changes are rumored for this year's upcoming iPhone. Apple introduced ProMotion with support for up to 120Hz in the iPhone 13 Pro last year.
48MP Wide Camera
iPhone 14 Pro renders made by Ian Zelbo
The Galaxy Fold 4 features an improved main camera with a 50MP lens and f/1.8 aperture. Paired with improved on-device image processing, Samsung says the hardware and software changes will yield better quality images and videos.
The iPhone 14 Pro is rumored to be gaining some significant camera improvements, including a major boost in the main camera. Compared to the current 12MP wide camera on the highest-end iPhone, the iPhone 14 Pro is likely to feature a 48MP wide camera.
The iPhone 14 Pro will be capable of taking 48MP photos when lighting conditions are ideal, but when they're not, the iPhone will resort to a process known as pixel-binning to take 12MP images. The iPhone 14 Pro's wide camera is also said to be receiving a 21% larger sensor to provide more detail to photos and improved low light capabilities.
The iPhone 14 Pro is also rumored to be capable of recording 8K video, the first ever for an iPhone. The Galaxy Fold 4, like current iPhones, is capable of recording 4k at 60FPS.
WiFi 6E
Originally rumored for the iPhone 13, this year's iPhone 14 could be the first iPhone to feature the newer WiFi 6E standard. The new standard offers improved speed, range, and capacity on public networks.
The Galaxy Fold 3 was the first Galaxy Fold to support WiFi 6E, with the Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 following suite. You can learn more about WiFi 6E and the improvements it offers here.
Faster Performance
iPhone 14 Pro renders made by Ian Zelbo
The Galaxy Fold 4 is powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chips that are based on the 4nm fabrication process and can reach speeds of up to 3.2GHz. The iPhone 14 Pro will feature Apple's new and faster A16 Bionic chip.
Both the Galaxy Fold 4 and the iPhone 14 will be equally fast and speedy for the majority of customers and their day-to-day workflows. One difference, however, will be RAM. The Galaxy Fold 4 features 12GB of RAM that enables true multitasking on the device, while the iPhone 14 Pro, like current high-end iPhones, is expected to feature just half of that.
The RAM on the upcoming iPhone will feature LPDDR 5 type of memory, which is faster than previous models. This means that even with just 6GB of RAM coupled with iOS's memory management, the iPhone 14 Pro is likely to remain competitive with Samsung's 12GB of RAM offering.
Better Selfies
iPhone 14 Pro renders made by Ian Zelbo
On the outside display, the Galaxy Fold 4 has a 10MP selfie camera, and the inside features an under-the-display 4MP camera. Like the Galaxy Fold 4, the iPhone 14 will feature an upgraded front camera.
Rumors point to the iPhone 14's selfie camera being a "high-end" camera with a wider f/1.9 aperture and autofocus capabilities. The wider aperture will allow more light to pass through the lens to reach the sensor for sharper, crisper photos and improved depth of field.
Apple has stepped up its investment in original podcast content by signing an agreement with Pulitzer Prize-winning production company Futuro Studios, Bloomberg reports.
The deal with Futuro Studios, maker of the criminal-justice series "Suave," stipulates that Apple will fund development and production of podcasts, and then have the first option to turn them into a film or TV show for its Apple TV+ service.
Apple has ramped up its podcast production output over the past couple of years, generating spinoffs of some of its original television and movie content, such as the "For All Mankind" podcast, but also seeking to purchase original podcast programs that could tie into future TV+ shows.
Apple has discussed similar arrangements with other podcast production studios and spent up to $10 million on the push so far, according to Bloomberg. Apple has already financed a handful of popular podcasts, including true crime series "Hooked" and "The Line," with several tied in some way to its TV shows.
Apple is said to be using the podcast investment strategy as a relatively risk-free method of gauging interest in the material to determine whether it could become the foundation for a video series. The approach means Apple avoids having to spend potentially significantly more money to acquire rights to an established podcast in order to turn it into original video programming.
Apple's low-key plans contrast with Spotify's high-spending strategy of acquiring already-popular podcasts and making them exclusive to its streaming service. Spotify has been making inroads in the podcasting market over the course of the last few years, ramping up its original podcast offerings and making major acquisitions, as well as scoring key deals such as the rights to the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
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