What Does Apple TV+ Cost? Where Is Apple TV Plus Available? What About the Apple TV Box? A Complete Guide about Quality and Prices of Apple TV
After what feels like a lifetime of lockdowns, you’re likely searching for some new shows to keep you and your kids sane. Apple TV+ is one of the latest entries into the increasingly competitive space of on-demand streaming services.
But is it worth the (actually pretty cheap) Apple TV price?
With fresh, original, award-nominated content, stars like Will Ferrell and Leonardo DiCaprio, and even a few ways to get it essentially for free, Apple TV Plus looks like it’s set to stand out from the crowd.
Not only that, but Apple’s flagship product, Apple TV, now comes standard on most new television sets–making it simple to plug into Apple TV+.
Are you wondering what the benefits of this new kid on the streaming block are? Read on to find out.
First up, What Does Apple TV+ Cost?
Is Apple TV free? You might be wondering. Well, the short answer is no, at least for most people.
Before, “Apple TV” referred to an actual streaming box that connected to your TV. You could use it to access other streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, RedBull TV, and a ton more services. (This box still exists, but more on that later.)
There’s also an Apple TV app that you can use on Apple devices like the iPad and iPhone. This allows you access to streaming services and movie and TV show rentals.
Finally, and more recently, Apple launched the Apple TV subscription service, called Apple TV+. That’s likely the service you heard about in 2020 and now in 2021. It has original TV shows, series, and movies.
So exactly how much is Apple TV? If you’re talking about Apple TV Plus, it’s actually pretty reasonably priced. Let’s break down some figures.
As of now, Apple TV+ costs $4.99 a month and is billed monthly (on a recurring payment basis). You can sign up for a free seven-day trial, and students get the full service for free with their Apple Music subscription. Anyone on the Apple One bundle also gets Apple+ for free.
A Big Budget Means Big Stars
Apple is rumored to have set aside a generous budget of $6 billion for its new Apple TV+ endeavor. And a big budget like that is bound to give them a certain amount of swagger in the aptly named “streaming wars.”
An early success was the production of The Morning Show, a drama that meant a return to the silver screen for former Friend’s headline Jennifer Anniston and the enigmatic Reese Witherspoon. Apparently, the show had a whopping $300 million budget.
Shrink Next Door stars, Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd. Severance is directed and produced by Ben Stiller and features Parks and Recreation’s, Adam Scott. Martin Scorsese is backing a film starring Hollywood legends Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
Unlike these services, it doesn’t host any licensed content, so there’s no back catalogue. People love to watch reruns, and these services all offer tons of fan-favourites. With this in mind, can Apple TV Plus really hold its own against the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Peacock (NBCUniversal’s streaming service), and HBO Max?
Only time (and budget allocations) will tell, and Apple has plenty of money to play with. What is Apple TV+ Price Worth?
Apple TV Offerings Are All Original
Unlike other streaming services, all the shows and films billed to appear on Apple TV+ are one-of-a-kind. This means you won’t find them anywhere else, and it’s this exclusivity that Apple is counting on to bring in the viewers.
Proving popular so far is:
- Immigrant tales told through anthology series Little America
- A comedy called Ted Lasso that about a mid-west college football coach
- A seriously funny show by the Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew called Mythic Quest
- Thriller miniseries Defending Jacob
- The Banker about 1960s African American entrepreneurs
With massive investment in leading stars, blockbuster directors, and good production values, are they stealing millions of subscribers from Disney+ or Netflix? Well, no. And they’re not getting as much press as these mega-streamers either.
But that doesn’t mean they’re not doing well.
Their shows are snagging nominations at the Golden Globe and other industry awards. They’re getting good ratings on review websites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. And global audiences are tuning in in more significant numbers than you see with other streaming services.
Apple’s strategy to keep millions of users on free subscription trials for more than a year during COVID-19 lockdowns, combined with better-than-good content, is proving savvy in a crowded marketplace.
Where Is Apple TV Plus Available?
Get Apple TV+ on all Apple products: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Mac. You can also access it on Apple TV HD, third-generation Apple TV devices, and Apple TV 4K. Finally, it’s available on Samsung and LG Smart TVs, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
Watch Apple TV channels on Vizio and Sony TVs and also on specific browsers on your PC.
Sadly, there’s still no Android app for Apple TV Plus, but you can still watch it on an Android device using a supported web browser. It’s also not available on PS4, Xbox One, or, in fact, any of the popular gaming consoles.
As Apple expands its product offerings into more and more countries, Apple TV+ is hitching a ride, too. According to Apple, the service is available in over 100 countries, including across the Americas, most of Europe, and selected spots in Oceania and Asia.
Apple TV Price: What About the Apple TV Box?
You might be interested in Apple TV Plus for the exclusive Apple TV movies and shows but wondering if you still need to buy the Apple TV box. The good news is it’s not necessary for Apple TV+, so you don’t need to add it to the very affordable monthly Apple TV price.
However, there are some benefits to getting an Apple TV streaming box that might pay back its higher price. You can use it with the HomePod, it allows different user profiles, you get access to Apple Arcade, and you can use the Apple TV remote with it.
Still not convinced whether Apple TV+ is worth a piece of your paycheck? Read the other articles on our blog and delve deeper into the ever-expanding world of TV streaming services. I hope after reading this you can get an idea about Apple TV+ Price Worth.