Can Apple Actually Become Google of Television?

In his 2011 biography of Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson described how the Apple co-founder planned to conquer TV. “I finally cracked it,” Jobs told him, describing his vision for an Apple-branded television set that would do away with complicated remotes for cable boxes and DVD players and replace them with “the simplest user interface you could imagine.” That Apple-branded TV never happened, but Apple has remained committed to making a mark in television, as evidenced by this Friday's launch of Apple TV+, its long-promised and well-funded streaming service focused wholly on original content and powered by a user interface designed to make good on the Jobs vision of decluttering the TV-watching experience. Like all things associated with the Cupertino-based tech giant, Apple TV+ arrives with lots of hype and plenty of promise, but also one big question: In a world where every major entertainment conglomerate is also looking to succeed in streaming, how will Apple stand out?