• by Alex Weprin , June 15, 2018

In a sign of just how seriously it is investing in original video content, Apple announced a new multiyear content deal with Oprah Winfrey.

Details were sparse, but the tech giant said that “together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world.”

Winfrey will continue to serve as CEO of the cable channel OWN (jointly owned by Discovery Inc.), as well as a correspondent for the CBS newsmagazine “60 Minutes.”

It isn’t clear whether the deal with Apple includes a talk show, or whether it will focus on scripted or reality programming. For that matter, the content may even go beyond video (an Oprah podcast, anyone?).

Still, the deal is a major one for Apple, which has so far focused mostly on original scripted content from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

In addition, as Recode notes, we still don’t have a good idea of what Apple’s video project will look like. Will it be a standalone service with its own subscription? Will it be free and ad-supported? Or will it be included with hardware purchases, or with Apple Music? So far, the company has revealed no details.