The Information report claims notable losses for Apple's only service in the red.
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Apple TV+ reportedly loses $1 billion a year, and that’s okay—for now
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I'm not an Apple fan by any stretch since I've never owned a price of Apple hardware in my life. The closest I ever got was an iTunes account on my PC way back when the digital music first industry first started.
With that being said I have say that Apple TV is literally carrying the creative scripted television industry on its back right now. At this point only HBO comes close at a distant second place in terms of the quality of currently airing shows.
From the writing and even more surprisingly from a sheer technical standpoint the quality of their programming is head and shoulders above the competition.
I mean not only are their shows written better, but they even look better than what anyone else is putting out there right now. Especially what a quantity over quality outfit like Netflix is putting out right now on a regular basis,
I mean I totally understand that Netflix crushes everybody when it comes to sheer subscriber count. But really Netflix isn't even in the same universe right now in terms of the quality of their original scripted shows as Apple
With that being said I have say that Apple TV is literally carrying the creative scripted television industry on its back right now. At this point only HBO comes close at a distant second place in terms of the quality of currently airing shows.
From the writing and even more surprisingly from a sheer technical standpoint the quality of their programming is head and shoulders above the competition.
I mean not only are their shows written better, but they even look better than what anyone else is putting out there right now. Especially what a quantity over quality outfit like Netflix is putting out right now on a regular basis,
I mean I totally understand that Netflix crushes everybody when it comes to sheer subscriber count. But really Netflix isn't even in the same universe right now in terms of the quality of their original scripted shows as Apple
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If I'd request something from Apple, it would be more 30-min shows like Mythic Quest, Trying, etc.. I'm looking for shows that I can unwind with at the end of the day, but that are more meaningful than a basic scripted comedy.
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No it wouldn't because they'd want $9.99 per episode.
Netflix's saving grace, if you ask me, is it has some so bad it's good movies. I watch those while doing time on an elliptical trainer. The other services I've tried take them oh so seriously.
What, some character names are connections? Other than that, Apple's "content" is an action movie while the books were about using ... brains... I suppose they couldn't think on how to do a tv series without shooting?
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What the fuck are you talking about?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.atve.androidtv.appletv
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Okay, I really want to see where you get that 45 million people are watching Severance.
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If there's one thing AppleTV+ needs, it's more variety in settings and topics (but keep the same quality). This one time, I checked out a series that featured a wealthy couple where the wife worked at a high end art gallery. I didn't like it so I jumped to another series, which featured a wealthy couple where the wife worked at a high end art gallery.
I'm happy to see Dope Thief because at least they're expanding the demographic of their characters and premises. More of that, please. Not everyone lives inside an Apple commercial.
I'm happy to see Dope Thief because at least they're expanding the demographic of their characters and premises. More of that, please. Not everyone lives inside an Apple commercial.
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Even within the genre it's not true. The first "protagonist" in Silo is a straight white guy (and he's even a cop), and the first "bad guy" is a black guy. The main character of Severance is a straight white guy, and one of the antagonists is a black guy.
These people are just projecting their racism, sexism, and homophobia. They ignore all the straight white guys. It could be a hundred straight white guys, but the second a black guy or a woman or a gay character is introduced, they'll hyperfixate on that one character and think there's some kind of agenda because not every character looks exactly like them.
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I have this as part of the Apple One subscription, and even though I've watched more than a couple of duds and "averagely good" series, Severance, Slow Horses, Silo and Ted Lasso were / have been brilliant.
Now, if only they weren't absolute cowards worried that Jon Stewart would hurt their feelings… In that particular case though, they pushed him back to The Daily Show, which I'll count as a net positive.
Now, if only they weren't absolute cowards worried that Jon Stewart would hurt their feelings… In that particular case though, they pushed him back to The Daily Show, which I'll count as a net positive.
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Fwiw, if you pull apart the HLS manifest that Apple TV produces for any of its shows, you'll find ad stubs injected by the manifest server (independent of the preroll promotions). This isn't unusual in and of itself, but it does indicate that ad decisioning is something they've designed for in their play stack even now. (for those unfamiliar with streaming, an ad decision point is basically a stub in the playlist where the player will call back to the server and accept playlist fragment insertions, generally representing ads)
From a technical standpoint, the only really interesting thing about this is the fact that it isn't using Apple's own HLS interstitial support (which is the Blessed™ way of doing server-guided ad insertion on HLS), but rather their own weird custom thing afaict. But from a business standpoint this is interesting because it kind of tips their hand: ads are coming eventually, even if Apple hasn't said anything about it.
From a technical standpoint, the only really interesting thing about this is the fact that it isn't using Apple's own HLS interstitial support (which is the Blessed™ way of doing server-guided ad insertion on HLS), but rather their own weird custom thing afaict. But from a business standpoint this is interesting because it kind of tips their hand: ads are coming eventually, even if Apple hasn't said anything about it.
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To be fair the Android app has only existed for a few weeks now. There was no app for watching Apple TV+ on Android phones before 2025.
The app for Android TV has been around longer (since 2021, I think) but not having it on Android phones/tablets (and streaming devices that are built on Android rather than Android TV) was ridiculous.
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How are they "hidden away"? It's a service that anybody can subscribe to just like Netflix, Max, etc.
Are people under the impression you need to own an Apple device to stream Apple TV+?
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I pay for Apple TV and enjoy it for their sci-fi programming, but honestly anymore, I mostly watch Asian dramas on iQiyi and Viki. Each of those is something like $100/yr and most shows are around 40 episodes. A ridiculous amount of fun content and escapism. Just throwing this out there for anyone unaware that there are options.
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I have let go of almost all my streaming subscriptions. But I’ve kept AppleTV+. I’m finishing season 2 of Silo. Me and the family have enjoyed See, Foundation and For All Mankind.
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I wish I could say I bought an AppleTV for the AppleTV+, but I bought it for Snoopy. Not Snoopy the show, but Snoopy the screensaver. I don't really know why, but he's comforting for some reason.
I do mostly use it to watch great shows on AppleTV+
Aside from Hulu its the only subscription I maintain. I usually turn on/off subscriptions based on what content is released.
AppleTV+ has solidly delivered value for as long as I've subscribed to it. At least more so than anyone else.
I do mostly use it to watch great shows on AppleTV+
Aside from Hulu its the only subscription I maintain. I usually turn on/off subscriptions based on what content is released.
AppleTV+ has solidly delivered value for as long as I've subscribed to it. At least more so than anyone else.
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I'm sure some people are confused by that, but I hope most people realize you can download the app on lots of streaming devices.
Now I do want to preface that by my own personal complaint. I currently subscribe to AppleTV+ with my AppleID. But, I'm worried that my credentials will be compromised if I try to login on poorly secured hardware.
So I just feel more comfortable with it on an AppleTV.
For example I have Apple Music and a Gym Monster 2. The Gym Monster 2 supports Apple Music. I do want to use Apple Music on it but I'm terrified of logging into the service on that device.
The AppleID isn't just my subscription to Apple Services but the entirety of my life. Only a slight exaggeration.
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I appreciate it when new posters let me know with their first post how to handle all their future input.
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I would call it a loss leader, but I do not think that it is leading anywhere.
Live sports is the answer to finding more subscribers. Apple could take over the regional MLB broadcasts, for example. In fact, they could take over all regional MLB, NBA, and NHL broadcasts for pocket change.
Live sports is the answer to finding more subscribers. Apple could take over the regional MLB broadcasts, for example. In fact, they could take over all regional MLB, NBA, and NHL broadcasts for pocket change.
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Apple TV+ is available on Prime, for example. I used the free trial for a while to pick up episodes of things that had happened since my last TV+ subscription expired.
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We have been subscribed to a whole suite of streaming for many years now. Apple, HBO, Netflix, Disney, Hulu. Heck we've had Netflix since it was a novel idea with DVDs by mail.
Despite that, if my wife and I made a list of the all time best streaming exclusive shows we've ever seen, Apple and HBO would take up most of that list.
I always tell people Netflix is massive quantity of mediocre to laughably bad, with a small handful of good ones. Apple is low on quantity but unmatched on quality with every single show being superbly made.
Despite that, if my wife and I made a list of the all time best streaming exclusive shows we've ever seen, Apple and HBO would take up most of that list.
I always tell people Netflix is massive quantity of mediocre to laughably bad, with a small handful of good ones. Apple is low on quantity but unmatched on quality with every single show being superbly made.
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And he made a new account because he's too cowardly to say it on his main.
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But that's the thing that people knock Netflix about. Netflix dumps a bunch of Korean dramas or Bollywood movies, or LGBA film fests, and all the Americans yell about "garbage quality". Except to people who aren't tech nerd on ars, there's plenty of people who LIKE watching those classes of shows.
Apple TV is basically the Hallmark Christmas Movie channel at this point... laser-focused only on shows that upper class white Americans would watch.
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I did. I think it's telling that the amount of "subscribers" AppleTV has is almost the same amount of new iphones they sell for a quarter that comes with a free 3 month subscription. Whatever "subscribers" they have is probably really backfilled by 90% of new iDevice purchases, and not by people paying for the service.
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Not disagreeing with you, but it's not necessarily a fait accompli. It makes sense to plan ahead and design the infrastructure to support it.
They also serve out their subs to other services - like Prime, for example. I don't know how that works technically, but Prime may want to insert ads for their subscribers so makes sense to have a mechanism through which to do that.
Having said all of that. The instant they insert ads, I'm out. As it is, the pre-rolls are barely tolerable.
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In the sense that lots of people won't see them because they're on a niche streaming service.
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Another day, another error message when trying to post a reply in this thread (currently typing this in forum view).
What do you all think about the theory that TV+ exists to get people to open the TV app, which Apple can then use to sell other streaming services and iTunes content (of which they get a cut)?
Apple News is available only on apple devices.
Apple Arcade works only with Apple devices.
Apple Fitness only works if you have an Apple Watch.
Apple Music really shines if you are fairly invested in the apple ecosystem as well, like the HomePod and the Apple Watch.
It would also explain why TV+ does not come with a back catalogue. Apple wants you to build your own back catalogue by purchasing additional content, and pay Apple their 30%.
In this regard, TV+ does not need to be profitable in its own right, but I don't know how lucrative it has been in monetising its user base.
What do you all think about the theory that TV+ exists to get people to open the TV app, which Apple can then use to sell other streaming services and iTunes content (of which they get a cut)?
Apple News is available only on apple devices.
Apple Arcade works only with Apple devices.
Apple Fitness only works if you have an Apple Watch.
Apple Music really shines if you are fairly invested in the apple ecosystem as well, like the HomePod and the Apple Watch.
It would also explain why TV+ does not come with a back catalogue. Apple wants you to build your own back catalogue by purchasing additional content, and pay Apple their 30%.
In this regard, TV+ does not need to be profitable in its own right, but I don't know how lucrative it has been in monetising its user base.
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Not a bad showing, but sounds like Apple is paying them $23 each. Should be the other way round.
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Gary Oldman is one of those actors that so inhabits their role that it’s almost like “hey, this character looks a lot like Gary Oldman”.
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I've struggled through the first episode. Nothing happened? Havent watched past that. Definitely slow burn haha
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The sad thing is, Apple's original content is far better than Netflix's. I think it's a combination of name recognition and some people maybe avoiding it because it's tied to a brand they don't use or like.
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I was watching some interviews with the producers of Silo, and they said they knew at that start of production they wanted to tell the whole story in exactly four seasons, and Apple supported this plan from the start.
That’s good news, and makes me expect they’ll treat Severance the same.
Listening to Ben Stiller talk about the show (he’s a producer and director), I don’t get the feeling he’d be willing to compromise on artistic vision to stretch it out. I’m just speculating, but between Stiller and Apple, I’m not worried about the show.
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Why doesn’t Apple buy Paramount or whoever owns it now? It’s got a low market cap and would give them an enormous amount of content.
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No I think the opposite , it has load of good things for women too. Great Sci fi. Spy and thriller, comedy. They are not aiming at live action Disney stuff ...and their kids selection is pretty meagre.
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I hear you. My Apple ID (er “Apple Account” as it’s now called) is insanely valuable to me as well.
Last year there was an iCloud bug where I (and thousands of others) got spontaneously logged out of all my Apple devices and had to reset my credentials. That was a wake up call and I’ve been VERY careful to make sure all my files are now backed up to storage devices I own. Too many eggs in this particular basket.
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