Apple rumored to hold a March 25 event to unveil a news subscription service

Apple is planning a special event for Monday, March 25, according to a new report from BuzzFeed. Citing sources with knowledge of the plans, the outlet says the event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater at the new Apple Park Campus, and the focus will be a news subscription service.

Apple has long held product events in late March, so it’s hardly a surprise it has planned another one for 2019. That said, sources said there is a small chance the final date could shift a bit given the level of publisher pushback the company is getting over the revenue sharing terms of the so called “Netflix for news” service it hopes to debut.

Apple reportedly plans to claim half the proceeds of a $10 monthly subscription fee, divvying up the other half among participating publishers according to how many people read their stories. Publishers are, in the words of one executive, “pissed” at the terms, which they argue are not at all standard for these types of agreements.

BuzzFeed adds that Apple’s long-rumored, standalone video streaming service could also make an appearance at the event. For years there have been reports of the company hiring top Hollywood executives, and signing deals with the likes of Oprah, but we’ve yet to see the fruits of that labor.

Unfortunately, it sounds like those hoping to see new hardware at the event are going to be disappointed. The outlet says heavily-rumored products such as the fifth generation iPad mini and second generation AirPods are “unlikely” to make an appearance at the service-focused event.