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Apple TV+ lags far behind Netflix, Amazon Prime Video when it comes to ‘bang for your buck’

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Appletvpluslogo
Apple TV+ isn't the place to go if you're all about quantity.
Photo: Apple

When it comes to how much content you get for your dollar, Amazon Prime Video is the best value VOD (video-on-demand) service and Apple TV+ is the worst, claims movie and TV search engine Reelgood.

At a time when new streaming services are launching all the time, the company ran the numbers to compare the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Unsurprisingly, Apple TV+ doesn’t fare too well.

Apple drops new trailer for Dads documentary headed to Apple TV+

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Dads documentary for Apple TV+
Streaming from June 19.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Friday dropped its first trailer for Dads, a new documentary headed to Apple TV+ ahead of Father’s Day.

Described as a “joyful exploration of contemporary fatherhood,” the film features the likes of Will Smith, Judd Apatow, and Conan O’Brien. It promises rare home-movie footage, hilarious anecdotes, and more.

Tom Hanks’ WWII movie Greyhound sets sail for Apple TV+ next month

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‘Greyhound’ will be Apple’s first summer bLockbuster.
Instead of theaters, Tom Hanks’ WWII movie Greyhound will debut on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Greyhound, written by and starring Tom Hanks, was originally headed for theatres. But the World War II film set in the Atlantic changed course to be an Apple TV+ exclusive.

Apple announced Thursday that the drama, with Hanks portraying a navy captain struggling to get a convoy through submarine-infested waters, will debut Friday, July 10.

Dickinson on Apple TV+ scores a Peabody Award

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Death kindly stops by Dickinson
Death kindly stops to visit Emily Dickinson in an award-winning Apple TV+ drama/comedy.
Photo: Apple

The Peabody Awards declared on Wednesday that Dickinson on Apple TV+ is one of “the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019.”

Apple Card users could get interest-free payment plans for iPad, Mac

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Apple Card
Apple hopes the service will boost sales.
Photo: Apple

Apple Card users could soon be offered interest-free payment plans for iPad, Mac, AirPods, and more, one report claims.

Sources say Apple is planning to roll out the new service, which will make many of its pricey products more accessible, in the coming weeks. Users will be able to spread the cost of their purchase over as many as 12 months.

Apple TV+ series Dear… looks at ‘game-changing icons’ and the people they’ve inspired

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Dear... Apple TV+
Starring Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and, err, Big Bird.
Photo: Apple

Dear…, a 10-episode docuseries profiling the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Big Bird (!), and others, has debuted on Apple TV+. The show focuses on telling the story of “game-changing icons” and how they have inspired individuals around the world.

All 10 episodes are available to watch today, rather than the one-episode-per-week rollout Apple employs for its top drama series. The executive producer of Dear… is Emmy and Peabody Award-winner R.J. Cutler of The September Issue documentary fame.

Apple TV+ could be in for a surge in subscribers

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Appletvpluslogo
There aren’t a huge number of Apple TV+ subscribers now, but that’s going to change.
Photo: Apple

Apple‘s streaming video service hasn’t taken the world by storm. But an analyst predicts strong growth in coming years will push Apple TV+ to over 100 million paid subscribers by 2025.

Samik Chatterjee from J.P. Morgan points out the service’s catalogue keeps getting bigger, with Apple willing to invest plenty of money to continue that trend.

iOS 13.5.5 beta hints at possible Apple services bundle

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Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+
Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and Apple News+ could all be part of 'Apple Prime.'
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple seemingly hasn’t abandoned its possible plans for an “Apple Prime” service that combines all its subscriptions into one single package. In a report published late Wednesday, 9to5Mac discovered references in the iOS 13.5.5 beta code to a “bundle offer” and “bundle subscription” that didn’t previously exist.

The idea could be to offer a services bundle combination of Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple TV+ and, potentially, Apple Arcade, at a lower price than buying each individually. Whether it happens, of course, is another matter entirely.

Apple reportedly hires former Amazon exec to head up sports for Apple TV+

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Football
Could Apple TV+ be about to embrace live sports?
Photo: NFL Network

Apple has reportedly hired away Amazon executive Jim DeLorenzo to head up sports for its Apple TV+ streaming video service. DeLorenzo joined Amazon to “run sports” in 2016, says Recode‘s Peter Kafka, who reported the move on Twitter Wednesday.

1 in 10 US households could be Apple TV+ subscribers

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Appletvpluslogo
It may not be a Netflix in size yet, but Apple TV+ is no bust.
Photo: Apple

An estimated 9% of U.S. households subscribe to Apple TV+, a recent report by analysts at Parks Associates claims.

The report places Apple’s streaming video subscription service fifth on the list of most popular streaming platforms — behind only Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+.

The new king of Apple scoops? [Cult of Mac Magazine 351]

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Jon Prosser: The new king of Apple scoops?
There's an art to spoiling Apple's biggest secrets.

Jon Prosser is the hot new Apple reporter on the scene. On Twitter and his Front Page Tech channel on YouTube, he delivers Apple scoops with a healthy side helping of humor. So, is Prosser the new Mark Gurman?

Read our take in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. As always, the free iOS mag is filled with Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

Jason Sudeikis’ sports comedy Ted Lasso premiers August 14 on Apple TV+

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Bumbling coach Ted Lasso is back, and headed for Apple TV+.
Jason Sudeik stars in Ted Lasso, a fish-out-of-water comedy for Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Jason Sudeikis is reviving Ted Lasso for new Apple TV+ comedy that’ll debut August 14.

The show, called simply, Ted Lasso, centers on a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having utterly no experience with soccer.

We talk AirPods with health features, and Apple TV+’s hits and misses, on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
Can you handle some hot, hot beta action?
Image: The CultCast

This week on The CultCast: AirPods with new sensors could be on the horizon, and that would fit perfectly with Apple’s always-on approach to health. Find out why we can’t wait for in-ear health trackers. Or for Apple to revamp the musty Messages app for Mac.

Plus, we discuss the aftermath of last week’s controversial chat with hotshot Apple leaker, Jon Prosser. And finally, Cult of Mac TV reviewer Scout Tafoya tells us why you probably ought to queue up Defending Jacob (and why you might want to skip Central Park).

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Final episode of Defending Jacob delivers no easy answers [Apple TV+ review]

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Defending Jacob review: The Apple TV+ crime drama Defending Jacobcomes to a powerful conclusion.
The Apple TV+ crime drama comes to a powerful conclusion.
Photo: Apple TV+

Breakout Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob comes to a gutsy and strong conclusion by leaving its characters, and its audience, in the lurch. This is the smartest decision the show’s creators could have made.

The limited series’ ending, which premieres Friday, shifts everything we’ve seen so far into an entirely new light. It likely will haunt you for some time to come.

Spoiler alert: Details about “After,” the final episode of Defending Jacob, follow.

Bob’s Burgers creator can’t make lightning strike twice in Central Park [Apple TV+ review]

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Central Park is here to do exactly what focus groups say you want it to.
Central Park is here to do exactly what focus groups say you want it to.
Image: Apple TV+

Despite an impressive pedigree and a marketable cast, new Apple TV+ show Central Park seems primed to annoy as many people as it will please.

You must put up with an awful lot of very trendy singing and songwriting, and an overly precious approach to character and plotting, to get to the meager delights within.

Judge throws out plagiarism lawsuit involving Apple TV+ show Servant

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Apple TV+ Servant promo image.
Not a copycat, judge rules.
Photo: Apple

A federal judge has thrown out a copyright lawsuit against Apple and director M. Night Shyamalan claiming that Apple TV+ series Servant stole its core idea from a 2013 independent movie.

As with the spooky Servant, the movie The Truth About Emanuel is the story of a traumatized parent who hires a babysitter to look after a baby that (spoiler alert) turns out to actually be a doll.

Apple TV+ picks up Hedy Lamarr biopic starring Gal Gadot

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Wonder Woman in 2017! Photo:Warner Bros. Pictures
Gal Gadot will put down the magic lasso and appear on Apple TV+ as Hedy Lamarr.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Apple nipped a 8-episode biography of Hedy Lamarr away from Showtime. The drama will star Gal Gadot as the 20th-century actress who was also an inventor who helped lay the groundwork for some of today’s wireless technologies.

The show will appear on Apple TV+, the company’s streaming video service that’s taking on the likes of Netflix and Disney+.

Banish lockdown boredom with big savings on Fire TV devices

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Fire TV Edition Smart TVs
Now with Apple TV support!
Photo: Amazon

Amazon is helping us all say entertained during COVID-19 lockdowns with generous savings on its own Fire TV devices. You can pick up a Fire TV Stick for as little as $29.99, and Fire Edition TV sets from just $139.99.

All Fire TV devices now support Apple TV+ — as well as a host of other streaming services, including Netflix and Disney+. These are limited-time savings, so enjoy them before they disappear.

Apple beats Netflix to snap up Martin Scorsese’s next movie

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Scorsese Siri
This could be Apple's highest profile movie yet.
Photo: Apple

Apple has seemingly beaten Netflix to fund Martin Scorsese’s next movie Killers of the Flower Moon, Deadline reported late Wednesday.

The forthcoming Apple Original movie will feature Scorsese regulars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in the lead roles.

YouTube Kids is now available for Apple TV

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YouTube Kids app restrictions
YouTube Kids is no longer limited to tablets and smartphones.
Photo: YouTube

The YouTube Kids app, a special child-friendly version of the YouTube app with additional parental controls, has landed on Apple TV.

The app was launched on iOS and Android in early 2015. However, while users could previously use AirPlay to stream content from their iPhone or iPad to Apple TV, this is the first time YouTube has created a native Apple TV app for the service.

Apple TV+ is becoming home to all things Fraggle Rock

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Fraggle Rock
Apple will air original show, alongside producing new episodes.
Photo: HBO/Jim Henson Company

Apple TV+ will be seriously upping its quotient of Fraggle Rock content, the Jim Henson kids’ puppet show which debuted in the 1980s.

Apple has acquired the streaming rights to all 96 episodes of the original show, which ran on HBO from 1983 through 1987, alongside specials. These will debut on Wednesday, May 27, and will be the first time that Apple TV+ has aired rerun content previously shown elsewhere.

Defending Jacob turns over its final card in penultimate episode [Apple TV+ review]

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Defending Jacob review: The Apple TV+ crime drama hurtles toward its horrible end.
The Apple TV+ crime drama hurtles toward its horrible end.
Photo: Apple TV+

Defending Jacob closes in on its shocking and horrible conclusion this week. It’s been clear for a while that things will never get straightened out fully for the Barber family after Jacob’s murder trial. Whether the teen lands in jail or not, things will end badly.

The Apple TV+ crime drama’s seventh episode, titled “Job,” proves this in spectacularly agonizing fashion.

PSA: Brand new episode of Defending Jacob and Mythic Quest debuts on Apple TV+

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Defending Jacob
Defending Jacob is starting to wrap up.
Photo: Apple

Friday means new content on Apple TV+ — and this week that takes the form of the penultimate episode of Defending Jacob and a new quarantine episode of comedy Mythic Quest.

The preview for the Defending Jacob episode reads: “As the trial begins, Jacob’s fate hangs in the balance.” Meanwhile, the special quarantine edition episode of Raven’s Quest is described like this: “As the MQ staff works from home, Poppy struggles with solitude, while Brad and David start a charitable competition.”

Sara Bareilles’ music will propel new Apple TV+ drama Little Voice

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Little Voice on Apple TV+ stars Brittany O’Grady.
Brittany O’Grady stars in an upcoming Apple TV+ musical drama that’s a “fresh, intensely romantic tale of the search to find your true voice,” according to Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple just revealed the debut date for Little Voice, a collaboration between Sara Bareilles, J.J. Abrams, and others. The show about “a uniquely talented performer struggling to fulfill her dreams,” hits Apple TV+ on Friday, July 10.

Apple snaps up podcasts — to turn them into TV shows

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home podcasts
Apple is on the lookout for podcasts that would make great television.
Photo: Jonathan Farber/Unsplash

Apple is reportedly buying exclusive rights to podcasts that could someday become movies or shows on Apple TV+.

Turning podcasts into television programs is becoming increasingly common. A popular podcast starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd is being made into into a Apple TV+ show, for example.