Following the rebranding of Apple TV+ to just ‘Apple TV’, Apple’s Services Senior Vice President Eddy Cue is scheduled to join Matt Belloni’s Hollywood industry podcast, The Town. In this episode, Cue talks about the performance and appeal of Apple TV as a streaming platform.
During the discussion, Belloni mentions an estimated subscriber base of around 45 million, a number indicated by several analysts. Cue, while not revealing precise figures, suggests that the actual subscriber count is “considerably higher than that,” implying that Apple TV is doing better in the streaming arena than many analysts have perceived. Nevertheless, Apple has been cautious about sharing exact viewership data and subscriber metrics.
At present, Apple TV is offered at $12.99 per month for a standalone subscription, a notable rise from its original launch price of $4.99 per month in 2019. This price increase reflects the growth of Apple’s content library, which now features an expanding selection of original programs. Many users may access Apple TV via Apple One or other bundled offerings.
Cue recognizes the difficulties of establishing a subscriber base without an existing library of content, stating, “It’s a lot harder than it appears.” He also mentions unforeseen obstacles, including a year and a half of suspended production and a nine-month strike, which led to delays in content release. In spite of these hurdles, Cue conveys satisfaction with the current status of Apple TV.
If the subscriber total is indeed nearer to 100 million, Apple TV would fall into the second tier of global streaming services, significantly behind the market leader Netflix, which has over 300 million subscribers.
The profitability of Apple TV remains unclear, with estimates indicating that the company spends over $4 billion each year on original programming. The insights provided by Cue serve as a preview for the complete podcast episode, which will be released later, as noted in Belloni’s Puck newsletter.
