Apple's Upcoming TV Service to Launch in 100+ Countries in 2019, Starting With the U.S.

Apple's rumored television service that is in the works to showcase its original TV shows will be available in more than 100 countries, according to a new report from The Information citing details obtained from three inside sources.

Apple is said to be planning to launch the service in the United States in the first half of 2019, with a global expansion to follow later in the year.

apple tv app hero
According to The Information, Apple's original content will be made available for free to Apple device owners, a rumor we heard earlier this month from CNBC.

While Apple's content will be available at no cost, Apple will encourage users to sign up for television subscriptions from other cable networks such as HBO or STARZ.

Apple has reportedly started negotiating with content providers about what it will pay to carry TV shows and movies, but programming is not expected to be the same in each country. It is also not quite clear how Apple content will be positioned alongside content from third-party services.

It is unclear how the original programming will appear next to media companies' channels, which is an issue as some try to negotiate with Apple about getting their shows on the app, said another person familiar with these discussions.

By making third-party content available via the streaming service and launching it in most countries around the world, Apple will be able to better compete with Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, both of which are available in 190+ countries.

Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works, and some with high-profile actors and actresses that are likely to attract a number of viewers.

Apple has also inked deals with Oprah Winfrey and Sesame Workshop for new television shows, including children's programs.

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

Popular Stories

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...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
88 months ago
Apple can base its core business on services (and in fact it already does, indirectly but effectively), but... by doing so it won’t be Apple anymore. It will be the new Google instead.
Yes, once Apple takes a page out of Netflix’s or Amazon’s book by making original content, they will become the new… Google. o_O
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tooloud10 Avatar
88 months ago
Whoopity doo dah, another lousy, overpriced streaming service that has little to offer.
I'm scratching my head as to how you can pronounce an unreleased service 'lousy' and 'overpriced' when virtually the only detail that's been announced is that it will be offered free to anyone with an Apple device.

To date the only streaming service to have a decent offering is AT&T with DirecTV Now, and you have to pay $65 per month to get the cable TV channel lineup. Too much for too little. I wish someone would just offer all the major cable channels at a decent price but without all the sports and premium channels. HBO and the other premium channels have never been worth their cost to me, and I couldn't care less about sports anymore. No other service has all the major channels/channel groups, they all omit at least some, which kills the deal for me. Until then, I'm sticking with cable.
Yeah, it's almost like those channels all charge the providers a fee to sell their programming to subscribers.

As of yet I haven't seen one Apple original TV show that looks like it is even remotely interesting.
How many Apple original shows would you say you've seen?

But then again, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have very few original good shows either.
I'm sorry, that's just delusional.

Amazon's Prime Video wants to charge extra for nearly every movie I want to watch, so it is difficult to feel warm and fuzzy about their crappy service. Netflix says I have to pay extra to rent the DVD for most of the movies I want to see as they rarely stream the ones I like. Hulu is more for old TV series rather than decent new stuff. None of these companies seem to have clue...
If you honestly can't find any programming you like on Netflix/Amazon/Hulu, I agree that you should probably just give up.

BTW, some of us still want to watch TV on a TV, not a stupid tiny screen.
How do you think the rest of us are watching all of this programming, on our phones?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
88 months ago
This rumor has been around for a very long time.

Details have changed, but it never seems to happen.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
peterdevries Avatar
88 months ago
"In 100+ countries"... With the rate that Apple is rolling out other features to countries outside the US, we in The Netherlands can expect this by the time the sun has expanded so far that it will consume Earth..

Still waiting for Apple Pay, TV Series, News etc etc....
[doublepost=1540326832][/doublepost]
Apple can base its core business on services (and in fact it already does, indirectly but effectively), but... by doing so it won’t be Apple anymore. It will be the new Google instead.
Their business models are completely different...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
88 months ago
They will need to make some mega deals with some of the key providers. I find it hard to believe that their own content will come anywhere near the quality of Netflix and Amazon and with Disney doing their own thing as well, it would need to be spectacular for anyone to take on yet another subscription.

I just cannot see it being a big thing for them. Especially as they are almost certain to insist on people using an AppleTV box to make it happen. Mine hasn't been plugged in for months now and just gathers dust whilst my Chromecast works perfectly.

Very late indeed to this party.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jeremiah256 Avatar
88 months ago
Bottom line:

There are apps for Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, CBS All Access, Disney, CNN, ESPN, HBO, etc. Content owners are making finding something to watch on your Apple devices very complicated. You have to check multiple apps that may or may not have a great user interface. It just doesn't work. So Apple is reacting. Trying to bring back balance to your TV. With their TV App.

One App to rule them all. One App to find them. One App to bring them all and on your Apple device bind them.

And even if you don't have any subscriptions, there will be free content to make you happy that you paid that extra money for an Apple device.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)