Apple's stake in 60 seconds

Curtains have gone up for Apple’s first ever video series, Planet of the Apps, which offers a platform for entrepreneurs to raise funds for their startups. The show has 60 short seconds called an escalator pitch to present an idea for the app makers before a panel of celebrity judges comprising Jessica Alba, Gwyneth Paltrow, Will.i.am and Gary Vaynerchuk. Judges can then vote whether the app makers should elaborate on the idea and take a further decision if they need to mentor the company and get them an opportunity to gain funds for future.

Trailer of the non-scripted reality television was revealed in February at Recode’s Code Media conference. Since then, Planet of the Apps has been compared to Shark Tank, an American television series which almost runs on a smiliar format.This show had entrepreneurs pitching their ideas before a team of investor judges and impresses them to invest money in their enterprise.

Variety.com, an American entertainment trade magazine and website has put it this way. “Apple’s first offering, ‘Planet of the Apps’, feels like something that was developed at a cocktail party, and not given much more rigorous thought or attention after the pitcher of mojitos was drained. It’s not terrible, but essentially, it’s a bland, tepid, barely competent knock-off of ‘Shark Tank’. Apple made its name on game-changing innovations, but this show is decidedly not one of them.” it reads.

Calling it Apple’s first dull TV show, The Guardian goes on to tell, “It’s painful to watch these would-be tech magnates make stilted speeches about why the world needs their app, only to watch them get remorselessly cross-questioned by celebrities who parlayed their success in entertainment into careers in business.”

The episodes are aired every Tuesday and the first series is set to be 10 episodes long. It can be watched on iTunes. The winners are also being promoted on the App Store homepage.