Apple TV + is not taking off. Two years after its launch, Apple’s streaming service still has only 20 million subscribers in North America. Worldwide, 40 million people subscribe to the service. But only 50% of them pay to access the catalog. Apple TV + is far from the insolent success of Disney +.
During a meeting with American unions, Apple revealed the number of Apple TV + subscribers residing in the United States and Canada, report our colleagues at CNBC. Until now, the Cupertino giant had always ignored the extent of the subscriber base of its streaming platform.
According to information collected by CNBC, Apple TV + had 20 million subscribers in North America as of July 1, 2021. This small subscriber base allows the company to pay lower rates to members of its production teams compared to a larger streaming service, like number 1 Netflix.
50% of Apple TV + subscribers don’t pay
In the world, Apple TV + would not exceed the 40 million subscribers, says an analyst interviewed by The Information. “Analysts had previously estimated the service had around 40 million subscribers at the end of last year, a number that one person with knowledge of the data said has remained roughly the same.”, argued the media recently.
Plus, it looks like only half of those 40 million subscribers actually pay for the service. The other half take advantage of the free trial period offered with the purchase of a new device from the brand (iPhone, iPad, etc.). Apple indeed offers 3 months of trial to its buyers. The offer does not apply to Apple One subscribers, the pack that includes several Apple services.
Launched in the fall of 2019, Apple’s streaming service fails to achieve the same success as its competitors, like Disney +. Inaugurated at the same time, the SVOD service was quickly made a prominent place in the SVOD market. Disney + has 116 million customers worldwide, less than two years after arriving in the United States.
To give Apple TV + a boost, the Cupertino giant has yet put the small dishes in the big ones. Apple has just put online the first episode of the Foundation series adapted from the work of Isaac Asimov. The firm has also recruited famous stars, such as Steve Carrel, Jason Momoa or Jennifer Aniston, to attract users. In vain ?
Source: CNBC
