The show goes free for one weekend due to lack of viewers, but its removal doesn’t spell complete disaster given the impressive performances that have been showcased. To understand the reasoning behind Apple’s latest move, let’s take a closer look at what they’re trying to achieve.
Apple’s presence in blockbuster movie show releases suggests one concern: a potential decline in its profile. To compensate for its relatively small audience compared to industry giants like Netflix and Disney+, Apple has been striving to make Apple TV+ more visible to a broader range of people.
The latest attempt will occur over the weekend from Friday, January 3rd to Sunday, January 5th, 2025. For a limited time, Apple TV+ is offering its entire library for free viewing without requiring a subscription?
Experience it for yourself this weekend.
Experience the thrill of streaming without breaking the bank!
Apple TV @AppleTV
Why did Apple initially limit its free weekend to just Saturday and Sunday, when most people would still be on holiday from Christmas and New Year’s on the preceding Friday? Additionally, every Friday brings fresh reveals, but this week marks a special occasion: the highly anticipated season finale of “Silo” premieres on January 3, 2025.
Newcomers can instantly grasp the premise as the first episode of Season 1’s “Silo” debuts on Fridays, making it an ideal starting point for those just discovering the series. They require some discipline to break free from weekend binges fueled by drama’s captivating grip.
While it’s true that Apple TV+ offers a vast array of content, the sheer volume can sometimes be overwhelming.
Among other notable dramas, such as “Silo” and “Severance,” there are also excellent shows like “Gradual Horses,” “Dangerous Sisters,” “For All Mankind,” and “Classes in Chemistry,” among many others before even considering comedies or movies.
While Apple TV+ may have some shortcomings in its movie selection, its notable strengths far outweigh these limitations. The late-2024 film “Wolfs” exemplified a turning point in the streamer’s previously unremarkable history.
After which no streamer can ever boast of taking away from Apple TV+ its hard-won distinction as the pioneering platform to successfully debut with an Emmy-winning series. Apple’s reveal, which won the Academy Award for “CODA,” remains available to view.
That’s a crucial distinction between Apple and major players like Disney+ and Amazon Prime. While it might have cancelled reveals and been a tragedy to not receive all the awards “Schmigadoon!” deserved, this decision doesn’t impede its availability on the platform.
However, it doesn’t necessarily reveal everything that’s always necessary, too. Unlike previously announced shows, the delay is not due to slow reveal of content, but rather because Apple TV+ is selective about what it chooses to commission and produce.
Apple doesn’t deliver on expected moves by acquiring vast libraries of content from other studios, despite rumors suggesting otherwise.
They will need to arrive in case you decide to stream.
You’ll gain access to Apple TV+’s impressive collection of high-quality shows and films, including potentially a standout original title. While the service excels when time is of the essence and a prompt solution is required within just two days, its overall functionality still appears limited compared to that of its competitors.
Since Apple is unlikely to release detailed information and you might strain your eyes trying to gather it yourself, the latest available statistics date back to November 2023. The streaming aggregator Reelgood reported that Apple TV+ has a catalog of 208 titles, comprising 139 original series and 69 movies.
As of the time in question, Amazon Prime was reportedly equivalent to possessing a vast library comprising approximately 2,135 television shows and 12,071 films. Netflix boasts an impressive library of approximately 2,495 original series and a vast catalog of nearly 4,000 films.
By the end of 2023, Apple TV+’s content library had grown to represent only around 3.2% of Netflix’s vast offerings, while shrinking to a mere 1.46% the size of Amazon Prime Video’s catalog.
Since launching in 2007, Netflix has methodically built its audience, while Amazon actually got off to an early start, introducing Amazon Unbox in 2006, a full year ahead of the game. Amazon’s provision of streaming content as part of its Prime membership option may mean that some individuals possess Amazon Prime Video without necessarily utilizing the service.
As Apple ventured into the streaming arena in 2019, it boasted an unparalleled advantage over its competitors: When Oprah Winfrey joined Apple’s platform, she noted that the company had “a billion pockets,” hinting at its vast customer base and potential for reaching a massive audience through her e-book club.
Within just two years, Apple’s market share had more than doubled globally.
Given its widespread availability across most Apple devices, it’s surprising to see such a low number of subscribers for the Apple TV app. While there’s no foolproof way to determine the exact number, as Apple remains tight-lipped on the subject, anecdotal evidence suggests that it’s relatively rare.
According to Evoca.television, Apple TV+ reportedly boasted over 25 million subscribers as of August 2024, incorporating users who solely access the platform due to a bundled deal or its inclusion in all tiers of the package; however, this figure does not accurately reflect the actual number of viewers.
While the website itself asserts a subscriber count of over 282.7 million, for instance. Apple TV+, consequently, accounts for less than 9% of Netflix’s subscribers.
Despite Apple TV+’s distinctive reveals, a significant barrier prevents most of the two billion Apple customers from subscribing to the platform. Although the widespread acclaim of “Ted Lasso” may not necessarily translate to an immediate understanding of the service, its adoption by popular shows like “Gradual Horses” and “Severance,” which garnered significant media attention and buzz, could still potentially bridge that gap.
Ultimately, it may be what guarantees the success of Apple TV+, as it consistently produces innovative and unique television programming. To generate buzz and drive viewership, Apple has consistently explored innovative ways to introduce Apple TV+ to a wider audience, including partnerships with popular streaming services like Netflix or offering exclusive content on in-flight entertainment platforms.
Apple has never provided unobstructed access to its ecosystem prior to this. As a result, the company’s silence raises uncertainty about which, if any, of its subscription sports services will actually be available.
For Apple, making its entire software ecosystem freely accessible to users – without asking a single penny in return – marks a seismic shift of monumental proportions. It’s intriguing that a major studio would choose to debut its most anticipated projects during a notoriously sluggish period, typically characterized by fewer viewers and less buzz.
Besides it’s the . As viewers eagerly count down to each new present, episode, or film release, anticipate a tantalizing teaser preceding them: a sneak peek of the brand-new series set to captivate audiences in the upcoming months.
Updated as of 4:35 p.m., Japan Time, Apple has extended its free trial period through Friday, January 3, 2025, keeping users informed of the latest developments.
