Showtime is following HBO's lead into standalone video streaming, but with a cheaper monthly price.

The new streaming service, simply called Showtime, will launch on July 12, coinciding with season premieres of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex. It'll cost $11 per month, with full access to Showtime's catalog of TV shows, movies, documentaries, specials, and sports programming. It also includes access to Showtime's live TV feed on either the east coast or the west coast.

Similar to HBO Now, Showtime will have Apple an early partner, with apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Subscribers will also be able watch videos through Showtime's website on laptops and desktops, though as with HBO Now, it sounds like you'll need an Apple device to sign up. Through July, new subscribers will get a 30-day free trial.

(Correction: Showtime streaming will not be an exclusive for Apple, as previously reported. The company has since announced that Roku and Playstation Vue will carry the service as well.)

By comparison, HBO's deal with Apple lasts from April to July, though it allows TV service providers such as Cablevision to sell the service in the meantime.

Why this matters: Although Showtime already offers a streaming service, called Showtime Anytime, the only way to get it is with a login from a traditional pay TV provider. The new standalone service opens up Showtime's catalog to people who've cut the cable TV cord. These options are only going to grow over time, as networks like CBS (which owns Showtime) realize they can't ignore this rapidly-growing audience forever.

This story, "Showtime's $11 per month streaming service gets Apple as an early partner" was originally published by TechHive .