Apple Arcade and Apple TV Plus: Stadia and Netflix, are you listening?
What better occasion than tonight's keynote to present Apple TV Plus, the new streaming service, and Apple Arcade, the platform dedicated to gamers? That's how Apple is taking on Netflix and Google Stadia!
Apple Arcade: the platform for gamers
Apple Arcade is a service dedicated to gamers for mobile, desktop and TV that allows you to pay a monthly subscription for access to a catalog of games. The subscription will cost $4.99 a month and there will be a free 30-day trial (the same formula also used by Netflix). It will be available from 19 September in more than 150 countries.
The catalog includes all exclusive titles, including Frogger in Toy Town and Shinsekai: Into the Depths, which are not available on other platforms. Apple is working with well-known partners to make this possible. Users can play titles on any Apple device through their registered account. In-app purchases and advertisements, a nightmare for a lot of players, disappear into thin air. Apple promises to keep its games up to date, and allow them to download and play games offline.
Apple Arcade will be integrated into the App Store in a dedicated tab at the bottom of the page. Depending on the tastes of each user, the platform will suggest certain titles in addition to offering some advice from the editorial staff.
Unlike Google Stadia, which opens its doors to any user regardless of the hardware used, Apple Arcade makes a selection at the entrance: only users of iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and macOS can use it. In this way, Apple does not compete with Google, but rather offers a complementary platform. The exclusivity of the content should be the driving force of the platform.
Apple TV Plus: the alternative to Netflix?
Apple's streaming service is ready to debut. From November 1, the Apple catalog will be available at a cost of $4.99 per month. With this price Apple offers American users a cheaper service than Netflix, which costs $9, and Disney+, which will debut on November 12 with a price of $7 per month.
The catalog will offer new proposals every month and Apple has shown on stage the trailer of See, the new series starring Jason Momoa as the protagonist.
When purchasing an Apple TV, from today, users will be able to take advantage of a free one-year subscription. A good way to launch the service! Will it win over users who are already dependent on Netflix? Everything will depend on the catalog!
