Problems Solved
Why do I have to pay for Apple TV+ content?
I bought a new ipad recently, Q and as part of the deal Apple threw in a one-year trial of its Apple TV+ service (see screenshot right). I wasn’t particularly interested in this, but since it was free I decided to sign up. However, I was disappointed to find that almost everything I tapped was either for rent or to buy. I eventually found a few free programmes, but now I’m wondering what the point of TV+ is.
Is there any way to show only the free stuff? Are other services the same as this? I was thinking of trying Netflix, but I’m not paying a monthly fee if I then have to pay extra to watch the things I want to see!
TV+ is what Apple executives A would probably describe in meetings as a ‘long play’. In other words, the company has launched it now in the hope that it will bear fruit in the future.
It seems as if every large company on the planet is rushing to create its own Tv-streaming service, with new options appearing every month. Apple TV+ is just one of the many relative newcomers.
Some streaming services, such as Netflix, offer unlimited access to all their content for a fixed monthly fee – so you can watch everything in the Netflix library at no extra cost. Others, such as Amazon Prime, provide a mixture of inclusive content available for no extra charge and stuff that you have to pay extra to watch. You can either rent titles for a couple of days or buy them to keep in your digital library for as long as you have an account with the company.
If you want to see the shows you don’t have to pay extra for, open the app on your ipad and tap the Originals tab at the bottom of the screen.
Of course, the best way for any streaming service to build up a library of content that it can offer without charging extra is to commission original films and TV programmes. This way the company owns the rights, rather than having to license content from other production companies. All the major streaming services are busy doing just that. However, as you’ve noticed, Apple’s library of original content is currently rather limited – and that’s the only stuff it includes in a TV+ subscription. Everything else you must pay for, either by renting or buying (see screenshot above right).
This situation will change over time, and no doubt in a few years Apple TV+ will have a vast library of original programming to beef up its content. We imagine Apple is offering these generous year-long freebie trials because there’s not enough on Apple TV+ right now to convince people to pay for the service.