Apple on Monday unveiled a star-packed original video service along with a subscription plan for magazines and newspapers as part of a new strategic move for the iPhone maker.
The US tech giant, aiming to emphasize digital content and services to make up for a slump in smartphone sales, also announced Apple Arcade, a game subscription service for mobile and other devices.
Director Steven Spielberg, TV host Oprah Winfrey and Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell made appearances at the event, which puts Apple in competition with Netflix, Google, Amazon and others in various segments.
The Apple TV+ service -- an on-demand, ad-free subscription service launching this year in 100 countries -- will compete with services such as Netflix and Hulu with Apple investing heavily in its own content, while upgrading its TV application for third-party services.
"We believe deeply in the power of creativity," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said at the event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, without revealing key details.
"Great stories can change the world. We feel we can contribute something important to our culture and to our society through great storytelling."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content