With Apple in the mix, get ready for the streaming wars

Grab some popcorn. The streaming battles are getting heated.

Apple is gearing up to launch its new video streaming service — setting it up for a head-to-head battle with Disney.

The iPhone-maker has not formally said when it will roll out its Apple TV+ movie and TV subscription service or at what price. But citing anonymous sources on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Apple is now aiming to start selling the service by November for $9.99 a month after a free trial.

The timing — and price tag — pits Apple directly against entertainment giant Disney, which will launch its streaming service, Disney+, in November for just $6.99 a month.

The streaming wars have been growing heated ever since Netflix and Amazon launched their streaming services more than a decade ago — kicking off what has become an avalanche of cable cord-cutting by consumers.

In addition to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney, and Apple, now AT&T is set to launch its new streaming service, dubbed HBO Max, which will come with 10,000 hours of premium content, such as The CW’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” and “Friends” early next year. Comcast’s NBCUniversal is also expected to launch a service in 2020.

Although the cost has yet to be officially announced, a $9.99 price point for Apple TV+ would put it in the center of the herd.

Netflix’s basic plan starts at $8.99 a month with the middle tier priced at $12.99 and the most expensive plan at $15.99. Hulu costs $5.99 with ads and $11.99 without ads.

Amazon Prime customers pay $12.99 a month for free deliveries — and get Amazon Prime Video thrown in at no extra cost.

Meanwhile, pricing for NBC’s service and HBO Max has yet to be revealed. But sources say AT&T may be in a fix when it comes time to price because some of its content, including HBO shows, is expensive to make. HBO’s streaming service, HBONow, for example, costs $14.99 a month, but only includes HBO content, unlike the plan for HBO Max.

“The reason HBO Max is going to fail is … Disney priced Disney+ at $6.99 a month,” said an analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “They need to be competitive but they can’t price it below the $17-a-month range due to

partners.”

HBO said it plans to release pricing information on Oct. 29 during a presentation to investors and the media.

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