Apple TV raises prices in the US as the streaming service increases | Today’s news
Apple is making it more expensive for Americans to watch Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Pluribus and its growing catalog of original movies and shows, with the company raising subscription prices in the US starting Friday, August 28.
Apple TV increases subscription prices for the fourth time
A monthly Apple TV subscription will now cost $14.99, up from $12.99, while the annual plan has increased to $119 from $99. The new rates apply to new and existing subscribers.
Apple said existing customers will be notified about a month before they are charged the new price.
This is the fourth price increase for Apple TV, formerly known as Apple TV+, in four years. The latest increase also raises the price of the service to three times the original $4.99 monthly price that was introduced when Apple launched the platform in 2019 with a much smaller library.
There is another increase for customers using Apple One. The individual tier of the bundle, which includes Apple TV, Apple Music, iCloud+ with 50GB of storage, and Apple Arcade, rises from $19.95 to $21.95 per month.
The move comes amid a wider reset in the streaming market. Prices are rising across the industry as services try to improve profitability and offset the significant costs of producing and acquiring content.
Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+ and YouTube Premium have all raised prices over the past two years. NBCUniversal Peacock raised its rates earlier this month, while ESPN is set to raise its streaming prices starting September 17.
Apple TV remains unusual among the major premium streaming platforms in that it does not currently offer an ad-supported subscription tier.
The price increase also comes as Apple’s streaming operation has expanded considerably since its launch. Apple TV now features more than 300 original TV shows and movies, compared to the handful of titles that were available when the service first launched.
His catalog includes comedy series Ted Lasso, The Studio and Shrinking, alongside drama and thriller titles such as Severance, Pluribus and The Morning Show. This year, Widow’s Bay became the most nominated freshman series at the Emmys.
For Apple, the higher prices mark another step in the evolution of a service that initially relied on a relatively small collection of prestige programs to attract subscribers. The latest increase applies immediately to new customers, while existing subscribers will be upgraded to higher rates after receiving prior notice.
