Apple TV+ will support offline viewing when it launches this November, according to sources.
MacRumors has discovered tidbits within the new macOS Catalina beta that would suggest Apple TV+ content will be downloadable on the Mac, the iPad, and the iPhone, but Apple will reportedly limit how many shows can be downloaded at once – and where those shows are downloaded to.
According to their investigations, shows can only be downloaded a certain number of times, and if a user wants to download the same show on multiple devices, Apple TV will nudge them to delete a download on another device first. This is different from the way Netflix and Amazon Prime offer downloads and will likely irk many users.
The source code also revealed some limits to downloads, and when a user reaches their personal limit a “You have reached your limit of [number of] downloads.” pop-up will display – again, differing from Netflix and Amazon.
And if a user downloads the same show too many times, a message such as “Download Limit reached for ‘[TV show]’ Season 1 Episode 1.,” meaning you’ll no longer be able to download the episode of a show to your device.
Apple is also set to limit simultaneous streams on Apple TV+, like other streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and even Apple’s own Apple Music do. When a user tries to stream on more than the allowed number of devices, a pop-up will display saying: “To stream this movie, stop watching ‘[TV show]’ on another device.”
Although pricing has been rumored to start from $9.99 per month, these limits could be in place to allow Apple to upsell services, such as by offering a family subscription with six simultaneous screens at once, for example.
Apple is reportedly spending big bucks on original content for its new streaming service and has lined up a number of high-profile stars to front shows, including Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Aniston. The service is widely expected to launch this November, just days before Disney launches its own streaming platform Disney+, priced at $6.99.
Are you excited to watch Apple TV+ content? Do these limitations discourage you from subscribing? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter and be sure to check back soon for more news and rumors, as and when we get them.
