When Apple TV+ launched, it joined an already crowded video streaming market. Cupertino's subscription service didn't offer nearly as much content as long-standing competitors due to relying on its own original shows and movies—and the situation hasn't changed much since 2019. Apple TV+'s premium features are impressive, though: Subscribers can stream shows in 4K, download content for offline viewing on iOS, and watch everything without any ads. The service now has more shows and long-form titles than it did at launch, including programs that have become legitimate hits. Still, Apple TV+ doesn't have enough substantive content to compete with the industry's heavy hitters, and it's only becoming more expensive. Editors' Choice winners Hulu, Netflix, and Peacock offer far more variety with their subscriptions.
What's on Apple TV+?
Apple TV+'s launch titles included Dickinson, The Elephant Queen, For All Mankind, Ghostwriter, Helpsters, Oprah's Book Club, The Morning Show, See, and Snoopy in Space. These shows cover a range of genres and content ratings, which was a good indication that Apple TV+ won't cater exclusively to one audience. Apple promises new shows every month and new episodes every week. In fact, the company states that programs will typically launch with three episodes (with new episodes arriving every week thereafter) or with full seasons available all at once.
Apple TV's catalog includes Central Park, an animated musical series about a family who lives in the famous park; Little Voice, a romantic comedy; Mythic Quest, a video game-themed workplace comedy; Tehran, a co-produced spy-thriller revolving around the Israeli-Iranian conflict; Tiny World, a nature documentary series; and real-life tech drama WeCrashed. The complete list of shows is growing too long to name them all here, which is a testament to the larger library size. However, the total number of titles (shows and movies) still sits at around 200 entries.
Apple TV+ is the home to all of Apple's original shows and movies, but it doesn't feature any additional content. (Credit: Apple)You won't find any fan favorites from broadcast networks or older shows to bolster Apple TV+'s offerings. Disney+, on the other hand, debuted with a staggering number of shows and movies from its vast catalog and a trove of 21st Century Fox content, in addition to the promise of new originals, such as The Mandalorian. None of the other services we've reviewed depend entirely on brand-new original shows.
Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Netflix are the current leaders in producing original content. Among Amazon Prime's most notable shows are Bosch, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Patriot, and Undone. Max is highly regarded for its original shows, both past and present, including Game of Thrones, Six Feet Under, The Wire, and Westworld. Netflix's blockbuster originals include Bojack Horseman, Ozark, Russian Doll, Stranger Things, The Crown, and Tiger King. All these services offer non-original shows and movies, too.
There's a clear value in the third-party content that pads out the vast catalogs of services like Hulu and Prime Video. Apple certainly has the resources to build up its library, but subscribers should weigh reviews of existing and soon-to-be-released shows before jumping into a subscription. For what it's worth, though, Apple TV+ originals like Ted Lasso and Severance have become acclaimed hits and genuine parts of current pop culture.
Apple TV+'s library includes several documentaries and feature-length films, such as Beastie Boys Story, a documentary about the band directed by Spike Jonze; Greyhound, a WWII thriller starring Tom Hanks; and the soon-to-be-released comedy On The Rocks, which stars Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, and Marlon Wayans. Coda was the first streaming-funded film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Cinephiles should check out our roundup of the best movie streaming services for more complete options. For good selections of classic and independent films, look to The Criterion Channel, Filmatique, Mubi, or Ovid.
Apple TV+ has even entered the world of sports streaming with Friday night MLB games.
Apple TV+ Pricing and Platforms
After its most recent price increase, Apple TV+ now costs $9.99 per month, but you can save money with the $99.99-per-year annual subscription. Apple offers a seven-day trial, but you need to provide a payment method to get access. Purchasers of new Apple devices get a year free of access. (Sick of subscribing? Here's how to cancel your Apple TV+ subscription.)
You can also get Apple TV+ through one of several Apple One subscription bundles. The Individual plan includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $19.95 per month. The $25.95-per-month Family tier bundles Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud storage, and you can share it with up to six family members. The $37.95-per-month Premier option features Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of iCloud storage and can also be shared among six family members. Other video streaming services offer bundles, too; for example, you can pay $14.99 per month to get ESPN+ and the ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu.
Apple TV+ is now more expensive than many other top streaming services. Peacock starts at $5.99 per month, Netflix starts at $6.99 per month, and Hulu starts at $7.99 per month. However, those are for the ad-supported tiers. Apple TV+ lacks commercials. Max's ad-supported tier matches Apple at $9.99 per month. If you don't want to pay anything for your entertainment, our roundup of the best free video streaming services has options worth checking out. Our top pick for the category, Tubi, includes some popular and offbeat network shows and movies, for example.
Apple plans to bring new shows and movies to the service every month. (Credit: Apple)For a rundown on how to get going with the service, see how to get and use Apple TV+. In addition to hosting Apple TV+ originals, the app lets you subscribe to other services, which it designates as channels. These include on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Paramount+, as well as DirectTV Stream and other live TV services. You can also rent and buy movies and shows from the app. Note that Apple TV channels are not the same as subscribing to these services on their own; if you subscribe to them via the Apple TV app, you can only watch them on devices that support the Apple TV app.
You can subscribe to Apple TV+ on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. You can also do so via tv.apple.com in your web browser. Support extends to select LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs, as well as any media streaming devices that support the Apple TV app, such as newer Roku units. Apple now offers Apple TV apps for PlayStation and Xbox game consoles, as well as Android devices.
Apple TV+ on Mobile
We tested Apple TV+ on an iPhone. Apple TV+'s interface is clear and easily navigable, with set buttons across the bottom for Watch Now, Library, and Search. In the Apple TV app, Apple Originals live in your Watch Now and Library tabs alongside content from HBO, Showtime, and Starz. Note that you can't sort shows by network, unless you are already a subscriber. To download a show for offline viewing, just tap the standard cloud-plus-down-arrow icon next to an episode listing. Downloading a show may take several minutes given the large file sizes.
(Credit: Apple)We tried watching an episode of The Morning Show over PCMag's Wi-Fi network and playback was sharp for the most part. At one point, however, the playback resolution dipped noticeably and the episode restarted. We don't like that you need to back out of the playback screen to the show listing in order to play the next episode in a show. We also wish that you could take a screenshot of the app; if you try to do so, you just get an image of a blank screen with the controls. Other video streaming apps behave in the same way, however. Note that Apple TV+ integrates with iOS's built-in parental control options.
Apple TV+ on the Web
Although Apple's marketing mostly highlights the Apple TV+ streaming service on devices that support the Apple TV app, you can sign up for the service and watch shows via a web browser. In testing, Apple TV+'s web interface seems less polished than the Apple TV app. For instance, you can browse and watch only Apple TV+ content—none of the other services that you can subscribe to via the Apple TV app appear here. The web interface is also missing several common features from other services.
The Apple TV website looks elegant, but like many of the service's shows, the richness of the experience is only surface-deep. All the shows appear in a wide list. Selecting a show brings you to a description page with the show's available episodes, cast information, and other Apple TV+ recommendations. You can search for shows and add them to your Up Next list, too.
Want to access account settings? Click the profile icon in the upper right-hand side of the screen to view billing information and change your subscription. Likewise, you can also set up parental control restrictions, but note that these limitations are not profile-based; whatever settings you choose apply to everyone using that account on the web.
You can view the cast of a show or movie, as well as which streaming standards it supports. (Credit: Apple)We watched several episodes from The Morning Show, See, and For All Mankind in Chrome and Edge on a 1080p monitor, and the shows looked and sounded excellent. Playback controls are standard with a draggable progress bar, forward and rewind buttons, a volume slider, and accessibility options in the lower-right corner. We appreciate the wealth of language and closed caption options. Various options affect the size and position of the text on the screen. Audio Descriptions options are clearly labeled, too.
Technical Prowess
Apple TV+'s technical features are impressive. As noted, subscribers can download content for offline viewing on iOS devices via the Apple TV app. Max, Netflix, Prime Video, and Showtime also include offline viewing capabilities. Hulu only offers this capability to subscribers of its premium ad-free tier.
Apple TV+ users can share a subscription and simultaneously stream with up to six people via Apple's Family Sharing feature. Apple says that Originals are "subtitled and/or dubbed in nearly 40 languages, including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) or closed captions" and that they support audio descriptions in eight languages. Amazon Prime Video and Netflix also support Audio Descriptions, an accessibility feature that adds vocal narrations to scenes to explain character movements, settings, and other on-screen actions not discernible from character dialog. These accessibility options outclass those found in competitors.
Apple TV+ features excellent accessibility options, with tons of subtitle and closed captioning options. We wish the service provided better descriptions of the available options though. (Credit: Apple)4K streaming, HDR, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision support round out the list of Apple TV+'s tech specs. Note that only select devices, such as the Apple TV 4K, support all these capabilities. Netflix and Prime Video offer some original shows in 4K, with sporadic support for the Dolby Atmos and Vision standards. Since most of the launch shows support all of these high-end standards, the service, when combined with the Apple TV 4K, could be very attractive to home theater buffs.
Apple TV+ and VPN
You should use a VPN to protect your internet traffic from nosy ISPs and malicious actors on a network. Many video streaming services block VPN traffic, though, because a VPN also allows you to spoof your location and potentially watch location-restricted content. Apple plans to offer Apple TV+ in over 100 countries with the same content, so that shouldn't be an issue. We were able to stream content from Apple TV+ via the web with a desktop connected to a US-based Mullvad VPN server.
Even if you do find a VPN that works with your video streaming service, you might eventually get blocked, as video streaming services actively work to block VPN connections. We recommend you choose a VPN based on other factors such as privacy policy, performance, and features.
Video Streaming Services: What You Should KnowMore Admirable in Tech Than Content
Based on its technical features alone, Apple TV+ competes with the current front-runners in the video streaming category. However, Apple TV+'s catalog isn't quite intriguing enough to draw interest away from the likes of Amazon Prime or Netflix. Its higher price makes it a tougher sell, too, and we would like to see improvements to its interfaces and support for more devices. For now, you're better off waiting until Apple TV+ offers many shows that appeal to you. Netflix is our current Editors' Choice for on-demand video streaming. For live TV services, we recommend either Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV.
Michael Muchmore contributed to this review.
