Customers have been taking advantage of free Apple TV+ trials bundled with new devices. The strategy rapidly expanded Apple TV+ into the third largest domestic streaming service.
By Chand Bellur
January 25, 2020 at 3:57 p.m. PDT
Apple TV+ Has Over 33 Million Subscribers
Launched on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ has quickly grown to be the third largest video streaming provider in the U.S. With more than half the subscribers of Netflix or Amazon, Apple TV+ serves over 33 million customers with innovative original shows and movies.
Unlike competitors, Apple TV+ is a lean subscription service, placing quality over quantity. Shows like Little America have earned overwhelmingly positive critical response. At $4.99 a month, the service is inexpensive.
Apple isn’t trying to be anyone’s sole streaming provider. Instead, their offering is positioned as an adjunct to Netflix and other streaming services. That said, this may change, as Apple’s cash wealth could focus on usurping Netflix.
Free Trial Boosts Apple TV+ Subscriptions
A free, year-long trial has surely contributed to Apple TV+’s success. Expect to see this number grow as more people are reminded to use the free trial before expiration. Others will pay to watch must-see shows like Little America.
Apple TV+ is only part of the company’s new focus on services. One of the originators of digital services, the iTunes creator has fallen behind on the more intangible aspects of computing. Their focus on one device, the iPhone, made sense, but it came at the cost of neglecting services and even other devices.
The astronomical growth of Apple TV+ is to be expected. The company reaches over a billion lives around the world through a multitude of devices. Given this bountiful user base, one would expect even more Apple TV+ subscribers. Between free trials and organic growth, expect to see Apple TV+ gain even more viewers, possibly supplanting Amazon Prime Video.