Apple’s upcoming subscription bundles, under the product name ‘Apple One’, have reportedly been confirmed in new Android software code.
The tech giant, which is expected to unveil a new iPhone next week, references Apple One in code for the latest release of the Apple Music app for Android, as discovered and first reported by 9to5Google.
Apple One bundles are expected to include music, gaming, cloud storage and other Apple services in a range of combinations and price tiers, as a rival to Amazon Prime.
The subscription bundles will let customers sign up for several of the iPhone maker’s digital services at a lower monthly price.
Apple One is planned to launch as early as October alongside its new iPhone 12 range, as previously reported by Bloomberg.
Apple One bundles will include music, gaming, cloud storage and other Apple services in a range of combinations and price tiers, as a rival to Amazon Prime. Pictured, Apple CEO Tim Cook announcing the Apple TV+ last year, which would be included in Apple One
Apple mentioned Apple One – which has the internal codename ‘Aristotle’ – in code for the 3.4.0 beta release of Apple Music for Android.
The snippet of code explains that Apple One won’t overlap with an Apple Music subscription, meaning customers won’t have to pay double.
‘Your Apple Music subscription will be included in Apple One starting %s,’ the code reads, as quoted by 9to5Google.
‘You will not be charged for both subscriptions.
‘You can manage your Apple One subscription using your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac.’
Apple will package services such as Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple Arcade and iCloud storage into different plans, which will be offered at a discounted price, Bloomberg reported last month.
A starter Apple One subscription will include access to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, while more expensive premium bundles will also include Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and more iCloud storage, 9to5Google claims.
The bundles are designed to encourage customers to subscribe to more Apple services, which will generate more recurring revenue, according to the report.
A starter Apple One subscription will include access to Apple TV+ and Apple Music (pictured)
Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at an Apple subscription service last year, which he referred to as ‘Apple Prime’.
‘We’re cognisant that there are lots of users out there that want a sort of a recurring payment like that and the receipt of new products on some sort of standard kind of basis, and we’re committed to make that easier to do than perhaps it is today,’ Cook said during an earnings call last October.
Cook said users would be willing to pay a monthly fee for the privilege to have ‘the latest and greatest iPhone’.
It’s possible Apple One will be officially confirmed at a recently confirmed online event next Tuesday, during which it’s expected to announce details on the upcoming iPhone 12.
Apple has announced a major launch event for next Tuesday where the firm could unveil the iPhone 12. The tech giant’s website shared a new post in its upcoming event section that reads, ‘Join us from Apple Park. September 15, 2020, at 10am PDT’
Earlier this week, the tech giant’s website shared a new post in its upcoming event section that reads, ‘Join us from Apple Park. September 15, 2020, at 10am PDT [6pm BST].’
Although no indication was given about the reason for the event, Apple typically reveals the latest smartphone around this time – previous years saw launches happen on September 12.
Apple usually announces and releases its next-gen iPhone in September, but the ongoing health crisis of the coronavirus and travel restrictions have created delays for the tech giant.
Some tech experts have speculated that the upcoming launch may only be for the Watch and iPad, with production delays pushing the iPhone 12 launch back until October.
WHAT IS APPLE ARCADE?
Apple Arcade is a subscription-based gaming service that lets users play across mobile, desktop, and Apple TV.
The platform live as a tab inside the App Store and gives users access to more than 100 new and exclusive games, the firm says.
It features games from Annapurna Interactive, Bossa Studios, Cartoon Network, Finji, Giant Squid, Klei Entertainment, Konami, LEGO, Mistwalker Corporation, SEGA, Snowman, ustwo games and dozens more.
Games can be played across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. And, users can able to pick up where they left off on a different device.
The service was announced in March 2019 and launched in September that year.
Apple introduced Apple Arcade in a star-studded event at the Steve Jobs Theater