Series and Shows: Apple starts streaming allegedly in the spring

It is the classic Apple situation: Nobody knows anything specific, the company keeps itself covered, and the rumor mill seethes. Only that this time it's not about new iPhones or iPads, but about new series.

Apple wants to be involved in the still strong growing streaming market, the plans of the tech giant have long been known. Media and news agencies in the US now report, by the end of March, at the latest in April or May, it's time.

Bloomberg, BuzzFeed and the "Hollywood Reporter" announce that Apple has invited several Hollywood stars to an event scheduled for March 25th. Among them are Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, who play for Apple in an untitled series, which revolves around the breakfast television; and Jennifer Garner and director JJ Abrams, who are shooting the mini-series "My Glory Was I Had Such Friends."

Series supposedly free for Apple users

Reuters and Bloomberg indicate April or May as the start of the streaming service. And they want to know other details. So the service will run on Apple's already available TV app and bundle the offerings of other TV and cable channels, including CBS, Starz, Viacom and possibly HBO.

CNBC, in turn, claims that Apple's new entertainment products are free for owners of iPhones, iPads or Apple TV Boxes, and that fees should only apply to the other channels.

Apple has spent about $ 1 billion on original content so far. This includes a long-standing partnership with Oprah Winfrey and the reissue of the series "Incredible Stories," which Steven Spielberg will produce.

With Apple's entry into the streaming segment, it is getting tighter for top dog Netflix and Amazon Prime. This year, Disney will come with its own offer, including the Hollywood studio Warner Bros. is launched.

Series and shows are not intended to be Apple's only service offering. As the "Wall Street Journal" reported, the group could also introduce a subscription service for magazines in the spring. So far, however, many media houses still resisted Apple's conditions: 50 percent of the proceeds should therefore remain in Cupertino.