Dr. Dre's 'Vital Signs' TV Show Will Be Used to Promote Apple Music
Last week, news hit suggesting Apple is in the middle of developing its first original television series, a show called Vital Signs starring Beats co-founder and Apple executive Dr. Dre. Described as a dark semi-autobiographical drama that's heavy on sex and violence, Vital Signs seemed like an odd choice for Apple's first foray into television.
As it turns out, Apple is planning to use Vital Signs as a way to promote Apple Music rather than as a serious move into the television arena. According to sources who spoke to Re/code's Peter Kafka, the show is part of an effort to create video content that's designed to "extend Apple Music."
So, again: Is Apple really getting into the TV business? Yes. But also, not really.
The real answer is more modest: Apple has already been financing video content it uses to market Apple Music -- "to extend Apple Music," in the words of an insider. And it's doing that with the Dre show. Full stop.
That's much less exciting than "Apple Is Getting Into TV," but it's more accurate.
While Vital Signs is Apple's first TV show, there were rumors over the summer that the company had produced music videos in-house for several popular songs on Apple Music, including Drake's "Energy," Pharrell's "Freedom," and Eminem's "Phenomenal." Apple also partnered with Taylor Swift to produce her "1989 World Tour LIVE" concert film. Vital Signs appears to be a continuation of Apple's work on original music-oriented content to be shared on Apple Music.
Details on Vital Signs were published by The Hollywood Reporter last Friday, with Apple Music being mentioned at that time as a potential distribution platform. It remains unclear if Vital Signs will also be released via iTunes. The show is said to consist of a series of six 30-minute episodes that reflect at least in part on the life of Dr. Dre. Each episode is said to focus on a "different emotion" and the way Dre's character handles it.
Exclusive video content allows Apple to set itself apart from rival services like Spotify and Tidal, boosting subscriber numbers. Last week, iTunes chief Eddy Cue revealed Apple Music now has a total of 11 million subscribers. Apple reportedly plans to produce more video content for Apple Music, but doesn't have intentions to move into video-making on a larger scale.
Popular Stories
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker.
According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found.
Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future.
"I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public.
There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta.
Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre.
Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year....
