Apple TV+ is a video streaming service from tech giant Apple that has cable cutters talking in 2023.
And it’s for a reason that has surprised those who are familiar with the innovative, top-shelf brand: It’s cheap!
With a price tag of $9.99 per month, no ads and superstars like Oprah Winfrey, Steve Carell, Samuel L. Jackson, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell and Jennifer Aniston featured on original content for the service, Apple has our attention. It might have yours, too.
Team Clark has investigated the streaming service a bit further to determine if it is worth spending $10 per month to add to your entertainment experience. We’ll look into how you can get the service, some of the established content available and the new programming Apple is planning to create for subscribers.
Table of Contents
- What Is Apple TV+?
- How To Get Apple TV+ and How Much It Costs
- How To Get Apple TV+ Free
- Original Content Created for Apple TV+
- Sports on Apple TV+
- Final Thoughts
What Is Apple TV+?
Positioning itself as the home of “the world’s most creative storytellers,” Apple TV+ is a mostly on-demand subscription streaming service that launched in November 2019. This is not to be confused with Apple TV, which is a device that connects to your television so that you can enjoy all of your streaming or downloaded content.
Apple TV+ can be found through the Apple TV app that comes pre-installed on Apple products, though it’s not necessary to have an Apple device to purchase a subscription. It has original series and films from some very popular actors and actresses. The content, which is available in 4K HDR, is on-demand and ad-free.
How Can I Get Apple TV+ and How Much Does It Cost?
Apple TV+ launched on November 1, 2019, in the United States and is now available for purchase through the Apple website or on many popular devices.
Price
Apple TV+ is priced at just $9.99 per month. That is positioned as a value in the non-live streaming market. Given that Apple is known for being a premium brand, it makes you wonder whether this is introductory pricing to gain a user base with planned increases in the future. For now, the barrier to giving Apple TV+ a try is pretty low.
Apple TV+ users can save some money by opting for an annual subscription, which is $99.99. That lowers the cost to $8.33 per month.
The subscription includes access for up to six family members on the same account, so there is plenty of leeway to get your devices connected.
New users can take advantage of a seven-day free trial to give the service a test drive before paying for a subscription, but you may be able to get an extended free trial with the purchase of an Apple device.
Devices
While Apple would certainly prefer its streaming service to be viewed on one of its phone, tablet or computer products (and we’ll tell you how they’re incentivizing that next), it’s important to note that you’ll be able to access Apple TV+ from some non-Apple products. In fact, popular streaming devices like Roku and the Amazon Fire TV Stick already have it available.
Here’s a look at Apple’s list of approved devices for the platform:
- iPhone
- iPad
- Mac
- Apple TV
- Airplay
- PC
- Roku
- Amazon Fire TV
- Samsung Smart TV
- Google TV
You can find a complete list of compatible devices here. After years of not being included, you can now find an Apple TV app on the Google Play Store for select Android phones.
How To Get Apple TV+ Free or at a Discounted Rate
If you bought a new Apple device, such as an iPad, iPhone or MacBook, you may be eligible to receive Apple TV+ for free for an extended period of time.
As of October 2023, that free trial period appears to be three months with the purchase of an approved device. Previously, Apple has offered as much as a year of free streaming with the purchase of one of its devices.
Apple also has started bundling the streaming service with some of its other products. If you’re using some of those products anyway, you may find that you could both add Apple TV+ and save money at the same time by bundling.
Apple One offers three different subscription packages, ranging from $20 per month to $38. Each includes an Apple TV+ subscription alongside other subscription products.
Original Content Included With Apple TV+
Apple has made an investment in producing original content for the platform by signing on big-time stars like Oprah Winfrey and Steve Carell to participate in content.
Perhaps none is more popular than Ted Lasso, which has won seven Emmy awards, with Jason Sudekis in the lead role of this soccer-related comedy.
The list of initial offerings may not be as robust as that of more established streaming services such as Netflix, but it appears that may be by design. Apple has been taking a “quality over quantity” approach with the build-out of this product.
Here’s a look at some of the original content projects for Apple TV+.
The Morning Show
The star power is strong with this one, as Jennifer Aniston, Reese Weatherspoon and Steve Carell combine forces on a series titled The Morning Show. The tagline for this drama is “The news is only half the story.”
Dickinson
Hailee Steinfeld stars as poet Emily Dickinson in what is described as a coming-of-age comedy.
Snoopy in Space
While this one is probably for the kids, there are plenty of adults who grew up with Snoopy in their lives. He returns in a modern animation with this new original series.
Other Series and Movies
- Oprah’s Book Club: Oprah Winfrey gets into deep and “unguarded” conversations with some of today’s top authors
- SEE: This thriller is based on the fallout of a virus that wipes out much of mankind
- For All Mankind: “Imagine a world where the global space race never ended.”
- The Elephant Queen: “Join Athena, the majestic matriarch, as she leads her elephant herd across the unforgiving African landscape”
- The Banker: Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie are 1960s entrepreneurs fighting for housing integration
- Hala: A 17-year-old Pakistani-American teenager grappling with “family, culture and religious obligations”
- Servant: The latest from popular psychological-thriller producer M. Night Shyamalan
- Truth Be Told: A series based on the experiences of a true-crime podcaster
- Ghostwriter: Four kids team up to solve a mystery based on a ghost’s past that’s revealed through a book
- Helpsters: A kids’ series with “vibrant monsters who help solve problems”
One thing I noticed while browsing the library is that Apple has decided to adhere to a gradual release schedule for episodes of many of its shows. Unlike Netflix, which typically drops an entire season of a show at once, it appears Apple is trying the conventional television approach of “one new episode per week.”
Apple indicated this would be the case in a statement prior to launching the Apple TV+ product: “At launch, most Apple TV+ series will premiere with three episodes, with one new episode to roll out each week, while full seasons of some series will be available all at once.”
Sports on Apple TV+
Apple TV now holds exclusive broadcasting rights to Major League Soccer (MLS).
MLS Season Pass is exclusive to the Apple TV streaming platform, but it does require an additional subscription.
So you won’t be able to pay the $9.99 per month for Apple’s on-demand streaming service and expect to receive every MLS match included. However, Apple TV+ subscribers will receive a discount for MLS Season Pass.
Here’s the pricing breakdown that Apple released in early February 2023:
| Apple TV+ Status | Monthly Subscription | Annual Subscription |
| Apple TV+ Subscriber | $12.99 | $79 |
| Non-Apple TV+ Subscriber | $14.99 | $99 |
Apple also has exclusive broadcasting rights for two Major League Baseball games each week.
The games air back-to-back as a part of a “Friday Night Baseball” presentation that will include pre-and post-game shows produced by Apple.
Apple also is airing a live baseball-themed show called “MLB Big Inning” that features highlights and live look-ins on Major League Baseball games.
“Baseball has a special place in the heart of so many Apple customers — not just in the United States, but in many countries around the world,” Peter Stern, Apple’s vice president of Services, said in a news release. “We’re proud to make Apple TV+ the home for great baseball moments throughout the season.”
There’s a chance that there could be more announcements like this to follow for Apple.
Final Thoughts on Apple TV+
As streaming becomes an increasingly popular part of our entertainment lives, it is natural that the marketplace will flood with companies interested in profiting from the change in consumer behavior.
Apple is attempting to get away from the idea that it’s simply a maker of devices with which to stream content. This launch makes it clear that the company would like to carve out its own space in the streaming market. In other words, they want to be both the device you stream on and the service you’re paying to stream — a double-dip into your entertainment budget, if you will.
Let’s review some pros and cons to trying out the service:
| Pros | Cons |
| Quality original content | Limited library of content |
| Commercial free video streaming | Limited licensed content |
| MLS and MLB live sports | Need a new Apple device for extended free trial |
Bottom Line: Even in a crowded streaming service market, the price is right to see if the original series and newly added live sports are enough to hold your interest.
I’d suggest using the seven-day free trial to give this service a test spin to see if it is for you. And if you have an Apple device, check to see if you’re still eligible for an extended free trial.
Do you have experience with Apple TV+? We’d love to hear about it in the Clark.com Community!
