The company is looking at a paid service in the long run, according to the tipsters, but it wants marquee shows that could serve as the cornerstone of that subscription plan.

Apple is expected to launch the new app sometime early in 2019, possibly in March. While the company isn't commenting on the leak, it wouldn't be surprising to see free shows. While Apple is increasingly reliant on services to improve its bottom line, it's still a hardware company first and foremost. No-cost programming in the TV app (which is currently iOS- and tvOS-only) could spur hardware sales or keep existing owners from jumping ship to rival platforms.