Crossing the streams: Apple TV+ set to go head-to-head with Disney+

Grab some popcorn. The streaming battles are getting heated.

Apple is gearing up to launch its new video streaming service — setting it up for a head-to-head battle with Disney.

The iPhone-maker has not formally said when it will roll out its Apple TV+ movie and TV subscription service or at what price. But citing anonymous sources on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Apple is now aiming to start selling the service by November for $9.99 a month after a free trial.

The timing — and price tag — pits Apple directly against entertainment giant Disney, which will launch its streaming service, Disney+, in November for just $6.99 a month.

The streaming wars have been growing heated ever since Netflix and Amazon launched their streaming services more than a decade ago — kicking off what has become an avalanche of cable cord-cutting by consumers.

In addition to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney and Apple, now AT&T is set to launch its new streaming service, dubbed HBO Max, which will come with 10,000 hours of premium content, such as The CW’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” HBO’s “Big Little Lies” and “Friends” early next year. Comcast’s NBCUniversal is also expected to launch a service in 2020.

Although the cost has yet to be officially announced, a $9.99 price point for Apple TV+ would put it in the center of the herd.

Netflix’s basic plan starts at $8.99 a month with the middle tier priced at $12.99 and the most expensive plan at $15.99. Hulu costs $5.99 with ads and $11.99 without ads.

Amazon Prime customers pay $12.99 a month for free deliveries — and get Amazon Prime Video thrown in at no extra cost.

Meanwhile, pricing for NBC’s service and HBO Max has yet to be revealed. But sources say AT&T may be in a fix when it comes time to price because some of its content, including HBO shows, is expensive to make. HBO’s streaming service, HBONow, for example, costs $14.99 a month but only includes HBO content, unlike the plan for HBO Max.

“The reason HBO Max is going to fail is … Disney priced Disney+ at $6.99 a month,” said an analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “They need to be competitive but they can’t price it below the $17-a-month range due to [content] partners.”

HBO said it plans to release pricing information on Oct. 29 during a presentation to investors and the media.