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Apple TV+ Curbs Costs After Expensive Projects Fail to Capture Viewers
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“_______ content is mostly garbage. It’s a firehose of reality and true crime junk.” 🙈
said many people, hyperbolically, about most streaming services they don't watch, tried once or twice, or cancelled years ago!
Our household can't stand reality shows or true crime junk — or even surrealism or graphic, violent detective shows — but enjoys Netflix, Peacock, and PBS Passport immensely.
The Romans were right:
De gustibus non est disputandum.
We had a decent run with ATV+ — loved Ted Lasso and liked Loot and several Peanuts shows a lot, but recently cancelled after a year's subscription, as we faced a substantial price increase and realize we just didn't watch it much.
One big thing we can’t stand about most of the streaming services we've tried or used is that when you want to continue watching a show, they barrage you with promos for their other shows, blocking you from plunging right back in. Ridiculous!
We want to watch our show, not be “told” we should watch some other show!
Many also have the irritating practice of automatically playing excerpts from shows while you're browsing. And, the need to show you their logo and play their service's loud thunk or chime when you reenter it. That's also ridiculous.
You already know the service you've selected and you want quiet until you start your show again.
None of the shows are marketed very well.
All 6 of my family members (we share an Apple One Premier account) ignore this streamer for others. We all enjoyed Coda and Ted Lasso during the pandemic, but it's been crickets since when discussing shows. My mother in-law caught Natalie Portman on the View last week talking about her new show on the platform for once, reminding her it exists. I found the segment and Apple TV+ is barely mentioned. They need to do what the other studios do and make their ambassadors talk about the platform and sell it to their audiences. Drill it home.
Scrolling through the platform, I'm always mystified at how many shows are available that I've never heard about. They need an actual strategy and better campaign managers.
All 6 of my family members (we share an Apple One Premier account) ignore this streamer for others. We all enjoyed Coda and Ted Lasso during the pandemic, but it's been crickets since when discussing shows. My mother in-law caught Natalie Portman on the View last week talking about her new show on the platform for once, reminding her it exists. I found the segment and Apple TV+ is barely mentioned. They need to do what the other studios do and make their ambassadors talk about the platform and sell it to their audiences. Drill it home.
Scrolling through the platform, I'm always mystified at how many shows are available that I've never heard about. They need an actual strategy and better campaign managers.
I also agree, and stop ‘censoring’ the art form that is film and television.
I pretty much agree with what you’ve said. Apple TV itself is really just an adjunct to add a reason to purchase the hardware and try to move people into subscription. I guess my point is that the production standard they have (excluding the horrendous product placement that continues to this day in Presumed Innocent) is by far the best from all of the streaming producers.
The fact that they get A listers on their Movies and Series is testament to the money they have. And it almost guarantees a certain return. But those A Listers are not just doing big block buster Brad Pitt F1 style movies either. Tom Holland was brilliant in The Crowded Room, and Elisabeth Moss was her usual amazing self in Shining Girls.
For Apple TV (Hardware) to sell I think it needed content because every smart TV available already has access to Disney, Paramount. It needs to be seen as the best streaming device and… "oh we have top class content, so you may as well sign up for a subscription as well".
The irony here is that Ted Lasso, their biggest money spinner was effectively a low budget series. Decent actors with a good story.
Like Ted Lasso was. Or Invasion. Or Mythic Quest. Or Dickinson. Or The Mosquito Coast.
Agreed.
Anecdotally, I’m going through Paramount+ right now and have watched all of Star Trek Strange New Worlds. I’m on season 2 of Discovery and, while that show is gorgeous and the acting is pretty good, the story arcs are just trying too hard. I found I’ve enjoyed SNW more. I’m really tired of having to remember what the hell is going on for a full season and then it rolls into the next. Formulaic shows work for a reason. I love being able to jump in and out as I want and take a week off and not have to worry about forgetting what was going on. If the beginning of every episode is a recap just to get your audience engaged, I think you’re doing something wrong.
Well the general consensus on Apple TV+ is that Apple Studios has the last word on creative freedom and they don't allow sex or violence. So this "boring content" problem is one Apple created or itself.
That’s factually incorrect. Have you not watched Servant? Blackbird? Dark Matter? All violent and often include sex. There are at least a dozen I could name that have those as central themes.
It’s unfortunate because Apple TV+ has the best content of any streaming platform out there. Silo, Severance, Dark Matter, Sunny, Foundation, Slow Horses, and For All Mankind are all excellent shows just to name a few.
The only bombs that I’ve watched were Invasion and Monarch with the former being terribly boring and the latter terribly acted. I can’t remember the last time I even watched anything on Netflix.
The only bombs that I’ve watched were Invasion and Monarch with the former being terribly boring and the latter terribly acted. I can’t remember the last time I even watched anything on Netflix.
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Yeah but people who don't have Apple TV+ or haven't seen the shows don't know that. When Apple TV+ first launched, the biggest news was that Apple won't allow sex and violence and wants all shows to be family friendly. That is still what most people believe. Apple's done a terrible job of marketing it, starting with the name.
I used to think TMS was boring until I gave it a shot. Also there are far more shows worth watching other than 3/4. But I guess to each their own.
That’s probably true. They have this massive amount of $’s for actual production, which is obviously starting to bite, and they should probably have more for marketing. Make it more compelling. This comes down to Eddie Cue.
If they spruiked stuff like the content, the sound, the Vision Pro and also, especially that "for only $9.99 every family member has access no matter where they are in the world…. " it would make a big difference. And then do the Apple thing and upsell to Music, and Fitness etc and soon they will be paying for Apple One+ etc.
There's almost 80 years of television history where companies think spending big bucks will turn into ratings... only to be disappointed. Apple TV+ is just one in a long line of such examples.
So broadcast companies learned long ago it is better to use the buck-shot approach, limiting spending per production, and just see what sticks with the viewers.
So broadcast companies learned long ago it is better to use the buck-shot approach, limiting spending per production, and just see what sticks with the viewers.
Recently started rewatching “Newhart”. Pure quality. Acting, writing, chemistry. Nothing near it today.
Yes and no. Cable lost its way when they added commercials to paid plans, just like most stream platforms are trying to do now. It should be free=ads or paid=no ads. Simple.
The other problem is the lack of a unified platform that can plug in to all the streaming platforms. Apple kind of got it, but it’s far from perfect. Maybe something more akin to Setapp where the consumer pays $XX per month and the shows that get the eyes on, get the money. I dunno. Plex is working just fine.
Shocked by the comments here, AppleTV+ is a must for me. Clearly some of the commenters didn’t watched the shows they are criticizing considering all the crap on Netflix. Happy costumer here.
And the only plan available includes 4K and Dolby Vision - Atoms as all streaming plan should in 2024 now that 4k TVs have been on sale for more than 10 years !
Eventually, Apple may realize Apple TV+ was a costly mistake. I like some of the shows, in particular For All Mankind, but I’m more interested in Apple not wasting money and focusing on what matters the most to their bottom line.
Like streaming services?
2023 Revenue.
1. - $200B - iPhone
2. - $85B - Services
3. - $40B - AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, HomePod
4. - $30B - Mac
Firstly, this is just a report from Bloomberg with words like "seemingly" and "reported" with no facts attached to the reasons behind an alleged cutting back. Anything coming on from Bloomberg about Apple, we should take with a grain of salt.
Secondly, if true, Eddie Cue has been heading this up with others in charge of content. Tim Cook is always known as a king of efficiency. So IF true, it COULD simply be a way to increase efficiencies to reign in waste. There is nothing in the Rumour to indicate otherwise. I would suggest they have been buying too much Goût de Diamants Champagne to woo in top actors/film makers. They should stick to Perrier-Jouët. My personal Fav…
I think in recent years Tim has lost his way a bit as the king of efficiency. The car project, modem development and now Apple TV+. Maybe Apple Intelligence in the future?
I may be in the minority here, but I can’t stand the language in these shows. The use of the f-word has gotten out of control. So many time the writers just force it in and in the most unnatural times. Put less TV-M and I’d watch a lot more!