Apple is reportedly planning to hold a keynote on March 25th where the company will reveal its often-rumored news subscription platform, according to a BuzzFeed News report.
The publication says that anticipated upcoming Apple products like Apple’s next-generation AirPods, the rumoured iPad Mini 5 and the company’s AirPower wireless charging mat, will not make an appearance at the keynote
The event will instead be services focused, with the company’s new Apple News-powered subscription platform being the focal point, according to the publication. The keynote will reportedly take place in Cupertino, California at the tech giant’s Steve Jobs Theatre.
That said, BuzzFeed News’ sources did not say if Apple’s video streaming platform will be shown off for the first time at the event. The standalone video service is rumoured to be set for an April launch. It’s unclear if Apple’s movie and TV streaming service will also launch in Canada in April.
Given that Apple has a history of holding events in March where it reveals both products and services, it’s not surprising that the tech giant is once again planning a keynote for the end of that month.
There have also been rumours that Apple is experiencing pushback from publishers regarding the upcoming news subscription platform’s 50 percent revenue share, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal.
Apple News has yet to officially launch in Canada, though the news aggregation platform is available in the latest iOS 12.2 public beta. It’s unclear when the tech giant plans to release the full version of the platform in Canada.
The number of Canadian publications featured in the beta Canadian version of Apple News is minimal, with CBC, La Presse, CTV News and The Toronto Star being the major publications involved in the platform. Apple also recently confirmed to The Canadian Press that publishers would be able to sell subscriptions through Apple News in Canada, but declined on going into specifics.
Back in late January, The Globe and Mail reported that Steve Maich, the former senior vice-president of publishing at Rogers, will lead Apple’s News operation in Canada.
BuzzFeed News says that Apple declined to comment on the report.
Source: BuzzFeed News, The Wall Street Journal, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press
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