Apple TV+ Eyes November Launch Date, $9.99 Monthly Price

Apple TV+ could be entering the streaming wars sooner than expected. Apple's new streaming service is reportedly eyeing a November launch date, with a $9.99 monthly subscription price. The company would introduce a small selection of shows before it expands its catalogue over the course of several months, according to a new report.Bloomberg reports that Apple Inc. plans to roll out its Apple TV+ subscription service by November 2019. This would put Apple TV+ in direct competition with the highly anticipated launch of Disney+, which premieres in the same month.

The tech company hasn't announced its official pricing for Apple TV+, but is weighing $9.99 a month, which would match Apple Music and Apple News+. It's still on the higher side compared to Netflix and Amazon Prime's lower tiers of $8.99, and Disney+'s $6.99 a month.

Apple TV+ seems eager to enter the increasingly crowded streaming field, which is currently led by streaming giants Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Soon to join the ranks are Disney, WarnerMedia's HBO Max, and AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal. Apple TV+ plans to launch in November with "a small selection of shows and then expand its catalog more frequently over several months," according to Bloomberg. The outlet notes that Apple will test out its service first with a free trial, giving the tech company time to build its library of original content, which currently includes shows like The Morning Show, Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories, See with Jason Momoa, Truth Be Told with Octavia Spencer, and a documentary series about extravagant houses called Home. Still, Apple TV+'s original offerings are still slim compared to its competitors, and other than The Morning Show which recently debuted its first trailer, have little to show for themselves. According to The Financial Times, Apple has set aside $6 billion for its original shows and movies. The budget for the first year of content was $1 billion, but has since expanded, the outlet reported.

Apple hasn't yet decided on a release strategy for its shows, but the company is reportedly considering offering the first three episodes of some programs followed by weekly installments, Bloomberg reports. This would set it apart from Netflix, which releases whole seasons at once, and HBO and Hulu's weekly releases.

Apple TV+ will launch globally in over 150 countries.