Peanuts cartoons are going to be part of Apple's upcoming streaming service

There's been no official confirmation yet, but it's now an open secret that Apple is busy working on its own video streaming service to take on Netflix, and a high profile cartoon series just got added to the platform's roster – Peanuts, featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang.

Apple has inked a deal with DHX Media, which currently controls the rights to Peanuts, and in the coming years will be producing new series, specials and shorts featuring the Peanuts characters, Deadline reports.

Exactly what form this content is going to take or when it will show up isn't yet clear, but it will apparently include educational content featuring an astronaut Snoopy, make in partnership with NASA – the idea being to encourage more students into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In the pipeline

If you're new to this whole all-but-confirmed rumor around Apple and an exclusive streaming service, it's been in the pipeline for years. The thinking is that Apple can boost flagging iTunes video sales with a subscription service much like Netflix or Hulu.

Apple hasn't yet said anything one way or the other about such a project – indeed it might still be making up its mind about future strategies – but there's no doubt the company has a host of television shows in the pipeline. Among the big names on board, according to industry insiders, is Steven Spielberg.

Now we can add Charlie Brown to that list. A launch date sometime in March 2019 has been mooted, and there has been talk that these original movies and shows could be made free to anyone who buys an iOS device.