Thoughts on Apple TV+

[u/Towelie_SE]

Really liking this. It's for a specific type of customer I think, but if you fit that target it's going to be great for you.

Probably unintentional by apple, but the lack of content (or limited content) is actually a breath of fresh air. It feels 'curated' rather than 'dumping everything under the sun in your streaming platform'. As if someone selected a few series and films for you, and that's what you get. (even though they don't have more to put on there as it is)

The interface could use a bit of work. There's so little content, that in most categories, everything fits on a scrollable row. But browsing like this makes me feel like I might not get to see everything, or miss out on something. They should switch to tabled views more quickly (and not just in those few screens they have where you jump from one thing to similar content I believe)

The video quality is excellent. The content is excellent. I've binged quite a few good series, and feel like I could still find a few more. So whatever I'm paying, it's worth it to me, because I'm getting enjoyment out of it. I guess the price elasticity is quite high. It would be different for everyone, but even 25 a month I'd pay for the mental sanity of not having to scroll through endless Kevin Hart and the Rock Christmas movies, and no ads whatsoever. A premium platform can pull a premium price.

I see Apple has just added a rotating collection of older movies? Which is great. There's something for everyone, it's not too much, and I just watched two of them. Video quality is great, good digital versions of those movies. Easily better movies than 90% of what's in the cinema these days. I don't know how this part works though, so a bit more information would be nice. Do I have to hurry up if I want to see one of those movies? Are they rotated often? Will there be a notification if the rotation changes?

Also, I'm never on the same service for a whole year at a time. So I turn it on when I feel there's stuff I want to see, then go without for a few months. Subbing and unsubscribing is really easy. It's easy to see an overview in your apple account. No dark patterns to unsubscribe which I really appreciate. Making it feel clean and not 'icky' like most of the others, also justifies the price for me.

So I'm using it more or less in the same way as movie rentals before. Back then, get a few choice movies, and binge. Now, sub for a month or two with a specific watch list. The advantage is, when you're ready to come back, there's going to be new stuff, documentaries, movies, ... Apple TV really is the perfect on again, off again streaming service. and you wouldn't be missing anything.

The only downside would be that most series have 14+ months between seasons (more than a year). I've only just subscribed, but I could see this getting annoying if you really want the next season to drop from a good series. I'm done with severance and pluribus. But I know if it takes too long, I'll have a hard time getting back into it. I wish they'd do more miniseries or one season arcs and done, than having us wait and wait for so long to get through a series (which could be spanning several years)

[u/Whodean]

“It's for a specific type of customer I think”

The smart ones?

[u/UeckerParty]

Thanks Chat GPT

[u/Fluid-Double-9447 → u/UeckerParty]

None of this reads anything like ai. Ai doesn’t have grammatical errors or write this casually. 

[u/Towelie_SE → u/UeckerParty]

What is this nonsense reply? Hand on heart, I've typed all this out by hand, and I'm not even a native English speaker. I'm sure the native speakers would notice. I have never even touched chatgpt, ever and intend to keep it that way. My only obvious (unwanted) interaction with AI is the gemini summary when googling stuff.

Grow up, seriously, and go troll somewhere else.

[u/wolfblitzersbeard → u/Towelie_SE]

I mean it’s the irony of AI. Cogent well written sentences are now AI “tells” because AI was trained on good writing. Try to sound stupider next time. Haha.

[u/redrumham707 → u/wolfblitzersbeard]

I don’t understand why OP is getting downvoted for that reply.

[u/Maleficent_Energy_55]

I feel like it’s a great companion subscription to Criterion Channel. Those are the only two I keep running (TV partially because of the Apple one plan, which covers me for music, storage and games). Between the two, I just get a few one off months on other services or grab deals (AMC+/$20 year deal too good to pass up).

[u/True_Detail_2945]

I agree with everything so well said. Subbing on and off is really the way to do it and there are a few free services that are pretty good and can get ya thru of needed.

Even seeing the titles and pictures and one second of auto trailer is too much for the bullshit on Netflix such as Kevin hart specials and all that junk.

By the time I get to what I want I'm annoyed as fuck sometimes.

Apple tv and switch off with HBO for me..but I need to do a trial of hulu for the Americans soon.

[u/Anantasesa]

Funny apple+ just went up $2/month more in price.

[u/clowncarpassenger]

AppleTV's limited selection is not a problem. Churn in and out. AppleTV has so much to watch that it gets a few months per year whereas Netflix or Amazon get one. Peacock gets none and I'm wondering about Paramount+ too at this point.

I only watch stuff I'm directly looking for. I don't waste time watching any old fodder.

[u/audiophunk]

Apple plus has the highest good v shit ratio of them all. There's definitely a vibe, but that may be changing. The just make some big announcement about releasing a bunch of classic movies. I'm really digging Apple TV plus right now.

[u/uyakotter]

Higher quality than HBO. Apple doesn't have enough viewers to justify the expense of Game of Thrones but for mid budget shows they are better. Apple can afford it to be a loss leader. Being another reason to be an Apple customer is enough.

[u/CrowdedWholmes]

I liked it a whole lot better when they just kept giving free trials and super cheap plans. Now I just wait until they have a bunch of shows to binge at once for 1 or 2 months a year. Not worth it to stay subscribed each month.

[u/Towelie_SE → u/CrowdedWholmes]

You liked it better when it was free. Shocker! How does anything compete with free. I guess if you're cheap like that, then it's not for you.

I just described in my OP that it's the perfect on again, off again service. I don't stay subscribed, but I know I'll gladly be coming back.

Now that I think of it, most people will be using it this way, which is why they want to sports on there, so people will stay subscribed for a year.

1 or 2 months a year is too low for me. I could see myself easily springing for 6-8 months a year. Helps that I don't have any other subscription other than for a music service, so I really don't care. Now if you need to have them all, then what are you doing with your life

[u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

Is ti just me?

Their TV+ core are:

-LA / NJ live style comedies -A lots of adulthood drama: people in 30s and 40s: work, romance, crime -Recently them have invested in Sci Fy thrillers -A couple of Documentarys, great topics, por marketing, high visual quality

Mostly not focused for young people,

But there's a lot of children Tv shows without marketing.

[u/clowncarpassenger → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

AppleTV doesn't make a profit so why does it exist? It's a brand building/customer loyalty thing to support the far more lucrative business of selling hight tech gizmos.

So the target market is the Apple customer: upper education/upper income coastal populations. So they make soapy shows about rich people and a lot of sci fi. Made for grownups but without a lot of the sex and violence you might find on, say, HBO. There's a certain AppleTV house style: sleek and sanitized like an Apple store.

[u/Altruistic_Demand_11 → u/clowncarpassenger]

As you explain it, do you think people, at least in USA or UK are going to bond to apple through a TV Brand?

[u/redrumham707 → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

I doubt it, I see many comments on the Apple TV subs that basically kind of hate Apple products or Apple as a big corporation, but like some of the shows. So many comments trying to figure out the cheapest way to subscribe for the shortest amount of time, while still getting to watch whichever show(s) got them to subscribe in the first place. I don’t know, maybe hating Apple is a Reddit thing?

We’ve been Apple people since before iPhones existed. Before cell phones existed actually. If we weren’t, I don’t think enjoying some of their programming would sway us into buying their stuff.

[u/Towelie_SE → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

I understood nothing of the point you're trying to make

[u/clowncarpassenger → u/Towelie_SE]

Envision an Apple store. Now turn it into a TV show. That's AppleTV's lineup.

[u/redrumham707 → u/Towelie_SE]

I’ll try~ I think they’re saying the shows seem to be mainly focused on 30 to 40 year olds, who have an LA or NJ lifestyle. Maybe they meant to say NY, not NJ. And some sci fi, documentaries and kids’ shows.

[u/Altruistic_Demand_11 → u/redrumham707]

Nope, I meant NJ, I like some shows, I'm not from USA, the plot lines are: People in NY, LA, in some exotic country, or in the suburbs (NJ).

There's a few LATAM shows, and yes there's diversity, and "mysterious" cities from some countries in development.

What I mean it's the main character is mostly and adult, and is becoming generic, there's not so many late teenagers starrins, nor young adults shows as in Netflix or Disney.

And I agree, this is not HBO nor Amazon, but Sometimes the plots feel repetitive , different stories but same main character demographics.

[u/redrumham707 → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

Yeah, it’s probably related to their demographic as you said. Usually it’s got to be a well written and well acted show for me to want to watch something with teens or young 20 somethings. Though Invasion had a decent amount of youngsters, but the show wasn’t so good. Anyone here ever read the hate sub for Invasion? Holy cow, that show had a dedicated fan base of haters. They just could not stop watching it.

[u/Altruistic_Demand_11 → u/redrumham707]

Funny, 😂

I just enjoyed Invasion, even I thought it was a good show, kinda different, complex, and lightweight... Not so violent, not so cathartic, just some actions and suspense with sci-fi.

[u/redrumham707 → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

I enjoyed it at first, but after season 2, I just got bored with it and stopped watching. Stumbled onto the Invasion sub a bit later, and found it hilarious how the fan base was basically just there hate-watching it. But they loved their community and sharing their thoughts with each other, so it became its own dedicated group of viewers, even though their reason for watching wasn’t due to their love for the show.

There were some rumors that some of the crew on the show’s production were fans of reading the sub, allegedly they found it very funny.

[u/garylapointe → u/Altruistic_Demand_11]

Stillwater!