Paramount+ and Showtime Bundle for Apple TV+ Subscribers Seemingly Ending

[MacRumors]

Users who subscribed to the Paramount+ and Showtime bundle via Apple TV channels are noticing that their subscription is being refunded and showing as "expired," likely indicating that the bundle is coming to an end.

A large number of subscribers on Reddit, Twitter, and the MacRumors forums are reporting billing errors for the bundle, where the $9.99 per month fee has failed to renew. The subscriptions tab of affected accounts is reportedly showing the bundle as "expired."

Users flagging the issue seem to be receiving different responses from Apple support, with some being told that the billing error was a fixable mistake and others being told that the bundle was a limited offer for one year only. Most users still seem to be able to access the streaming services, but the billing rejections and "expired" phraseology appear to suggest that their subscription will not renew. Apple or ViacomCBS, the owner of Paramount+ and Showtime, has not given an official comment.

The offer originally launched on August 17 last year via the TV app, giving Apple TV+ subscribers access to both Paramount+, then titled CBS All Access, and Showtime, for $9.99 per month. The bundle aimed to encourage the use of Apple TV+ and the Apple TV channels feature.

The loss of Paramount+ and Showtime would be yet another blow to Apple TV channels, which have largely failed to garner much support from streaming services. Last week, HBO dropped support for its Apple TV channel and encouraged subscribers to move to HBO Max instead.

Since the bundle launched a year ago next month, it is possible that it could have been an offer limited to one year only as some subscribers have suggested. If the bundle of Paramount+ and Showtime has indeed been discontinued, subscribers will now need to spend $9.99 for Paramount+ and $10.99 for Showtime per month. The combined cost of $20.98 would be over double the $9.99 cost of the exclusive bundle for Apple TV+ subscribers.

Article Link: Paramount+ and Showtime Bundle for Apple TV+ Subscribers Seemingly Ending

 

[cfj2222]

Sure enough, after reading this I checked my subscription and it shows as “expired”. I wonder what will come of it now?

 

[jcook793]

Hmmm, mine still says it is valid and will renew on August 10th

 

[jgreg728]

And here I was thinking “welp at least we still got Paramount and Showtime holding up Apple TV channels” after the HBO fiasco last week. Man this isn’t good. Apple, MAKE BETTER DEALS FOR THIS SERVICE AND GET THESE CONTENT PROVIDERS BACK ON BOARD. Channels concept is so much better than separate apps but you don’t do anything to help support and maintain the service!!!!

 

[dino12]

Mine shows renewing on August 20th.

 

[cfj2222]

Sure enough, after reading this I checked my subscription and it shows as “expired”. I wonder what will come of it now?

Strangely enough, mine says it expired on July 24th. There is an option to resubscribe, but when I press it and use Face ID to authenticate, nothing happens. The subscription still shows as expired. There is no problem with my payment method…

 

[Marco Klobas]

Mine shows:

Next billing date Aug 15th

 

[Zedlife64]

Strangely enough, mine says it expired on July 24th. There is an option to resubscribe, but when I press it and use Face ID to authenticate, nothing happens. The subscription still shows as expired. There is no problem with my payment method…

Same experience here. Sure would be nice if Apple let us know what the heck is going on. I just went into the TV app, clicked on the Paramount+ channel & there’s an option to subscribe for $9.99/month. I successfully resubscribed.

 

[contacos]

You know what’s funny? The App shows me as a subscriber to the ad supported tire but I am not being charged, nor have I added my payment information anywhere and I can’t see it as an active subscription on iOS either. Also, I see no ads on Paramount+ 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[AgentOSX]

I have the same cancel notice, “expired” as of yesterday… but I can still play content from Paramount+ and Showtime.

I have a renew subscription option as well, but as described above it doesn’t do anything when attempted.

 

[guinnessduck]

I had been wondering what was going on, as I kept getting pop ups from Apple card notifying me about a 9.99 charge (on the day I usually get them letting me know the bundle renewed). When I'd check on the card there would be no charge shown, pending or otherwise. Then a few hours later I'd get the notification again. Happened 4 or 5 times. Once the 9.99 actually showed up in pending, but then a few minutes later it disappeared from being a pending charge.

 

[ddantzler]

I had been wondering what was going on, as I kept getting pop ups from Apple card notifying me about a 9.99 charge (on the day I usually get them letting me know the bundle renewed). When I'd check on the card there would be no charge shown, pending or otherwise. Then a few hours later I'd get the notification again. Happened 4 or 5 times. Once the 9.99 actually showed up in pending, but then a few minutes later it disappeared from being a pending charge.

I’ve been getting the same thing, again and again. Perhaps 5+ times since yesterday. Well, $10.69 (including tax).

 

[Gruffydd]

I don’t mind paying for a service but I will never pay for a service that includes ads. This is what I don’t like about Paramount+

They want you to pay for a cheaper version with ads or a more expensive version with no ads. I’d rather a version with ads for free or a paid version with no ads. Since ads are already a revenue stream that covers the cost to the viewer. Seems fair enough. But I will never pay for ads as a part of the deal. Period.

So good get rid of them Apple.

Paramount+ is setting a precedent so that eventually you’ll be doing the same thing as you have been with cable. Paying for an overwhelming amount of ads.

 

[ddantzler]

I have the same cancel notice, “expired” as of yesterday… but I can still play content from Paramount+ and Showtime.

I have a renew subscription option as well, but as described above it doesn’t do anything when attempted.

For me, the bundle shows in expired, and I have a cancel button, not a renew button. Still able to play content.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

I have the same cancel notice, “expired” as of yesterday… but I can still play content from Paramount+ and Showtime.

I have a renew subscription option as well, but as described above it doesn’t do anything when attempted.

I can still playback content via Paramount+ app and through the channel.


And when I tapped the option to renew, it managed to do nothing, BUT charged my Apple Card anyway. And it looks like I was billed for the auto renew as well. 😡

There’s a rumor though from within Apple that Apple TV channel feature is planned to be phased out since no one is using it, and instead Apple may start promoting streaming apps (like HBO max, etc) themselves within the  TV App. So it may be beginning of the end for  TV channels feature.

 

[nycSAN]

Mine is set to renew in 2 days. Maybe if you’re seeing expired it’s because your Apple TV+ is about to expire? The 9.99 deal is only for TV+ subscribers. I’m Apple One Premier.

 

[bbeers]

I am experiencing the same issue. I have been on the phone with Apple and PNC for nearly an hour now. I try to renew the Paramount + & Showtime subscription, the charge appears on my card for 2 minutes then disappears. The subscription never official renews in Apple. Can't renew service. Apple says it is PNC, and PNC says it is Apple. I am currently on the line with an Apple supervisor. So frustrating. I have a toddler and he needs his Paw Patrol.

 

[ttyRazor]

Mine shows up valid with a renewal date of July 28th. I wonder what it will look like after that

 

[Dartagnan_007]

Mine shows up renewing on July 28th. I hope they figure it out before then.

 

[jgreg728]

There’s a rumor though from within Apple that Apple TV channel feature is planned to be phased out since no one is using it, and instead Apple may start promoting streaming apps (like HBO max, etc) themselves within the  TV App. So it may be beginning of the end for  TV channels feature.

If that's true, it's honestly Apple's fault for not doing a thing to advertise or promote them alongside Apple TV+. People know TV+, but anyone I've ever talked to about Channels no one ever knows what I'm talking about. They never caught on because no one knew they were even there. Apple should've done way more to address this.

 

[dmeier1231]

Mine is set to renew in 2 days. Maybe if you’re seeing expired it’s because your Apple TV+ is about to expire? The 9.99 deal is only for TV+ subscribers. I’m Apple One Premier.

I was thinking the same thing. I see a notification in the subscription where it tells me that it will renew at $20.99 if I am not an Apple TV+ subscriber. I also have an Apple One Premier membership.

 

[iAdamator]

My Subscription has been expired since June but I am able to play all content from Paramount+. I noticed it a few days ago and have been wondering what’s going on. I’m definitely not being charged.

 

[CHRISBklyn]

A couple of weeks ago I switched to the Apple One bundle or rather my husband and I switched to Apple One. The Paramount+/Showtime $9.99 subscription was under my Apple ID and Apple TV+ subscription was under my Apple ID too. We already had family sharing enabled so we were both getting the Apple TV+ and Paramount+/Showtime from that. The Family Sharing was set up with my husband as the Organizer and me as an Adult on the account so when we signed up for Apple One that remained the same.
But then I checked my subscriptions after we made the change to Apple One and I noticed that it said the Paramount/Showtime bundle would renew on August 2nd at the $20.98 rate rather than $9.99. I wondered if switching to Apple One and the Primary Apple ID had caused us to lose the bundle so I called Apple Support to try and get it reinstated. After few rounds of the rep not being able to explain it, they came back with the explanation of the Paramount/Showtime bundle expiring after a year of being in effect.
We'll cancel the $20.98 bundle price. Not a deal at all and hardly look at Showtime anymore. We'll probably just sign up for Paramount+ and not even do the subscription thru Apple anymore.

 

[freediverx00]

Mine still says "Renews on Aug 17, 2021". I couldn't care less about the loss of the bundle since I don't watch anything on Paramount, nee CBS All Access. Also, while it would be nice to have a clean, unified interface for all my content, quite frankly, Apple's interface on their Apple TV app is pretty terrible. it's a collection of ads for all sorts of programming I have neither interest in nor access to, and no easy way to view, organize, or explore the content I actually care about.

 

[dreinidaho]

In the small print under the Subscription, it does say in order for the bundle to renew that you also have to be an Apple TV+ Subscriber. If you are not an Apple TV+ Subscriber, it says it will renew at the street price of $20.98.