On November 1, 2019, Apple joined the ranks of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ with its own exclusive streaming service. Apple TV+ has a wide range of shows and many more in pipeline funded by Apple’s mountainous cash pile.
Below you will find a compendium of everything we know about Apple’s streaming platform.
Updated August 21, 20253: Apple has raised the price of its streaming service. Apple TV+ now costs $ 12.99/£ 9.99, up from $ 9.99/£ 8.99.
How do I get access to Apple TV+?
You can sign up and watch Apple TV+ content via the TV app available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and MAC. It is also available on many game consoles, smart TVs, Roku and four TV devices. You can also watch Apple TV+ in a browser on tv.apple.com.
However, the experience of the TV app varies from device to device. On a Roku, Smart TV, Game Console or in a browser you only see Apple’s own content. It includes Apple TV+ content as well as Apple TV channels and any movies or TV shows you have purchased through the iTunes or the TV app.
On iPhone, iPad or Apple TV -hardware, you also see shows from other streaming services such as Hulu, Paramount Plus, HBO or Amazon Prime. The TV app is aggregating content from supporting third-party apps running on the device. Unfortunately, Netflix does not support the feature.
Can I watch Apple TV+ Shows on devices that aren’t apple?
Yes! You can watch Apple TV+ via the TV app available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and MAC, as well as many game consoles, smart TVs and other streaming devices. If you have a new set from Samsung, LG, Sony or Vizio, you should also be able to use AirPlay 2 to broadcast content from your iPhone or iPad to the set.
You can also see on the web using Safari, Chrome or Firefox by going to tv.apple.com. Watch: AirPlay -Compatible TVs that have Apple TV Build In: Guide.
How much does Apple TV+cost?
Apple has raised the price of Apple TV+ several times since it’s a first price of just $ 4.99 a month. It currently costs $ 12.99/£ 9.99 a month. There are no more “levels” of Apple TV+ subscriptions – you always get the best video and sound quality, family parting and all features.
You can renew your subscription for one year for $ 99/£ 89, which essentially gives you two months free every year. Alternatively, you can cancel anytime and just pay for a month when you want to watch a particular show.
Apple TV+ is also included in all three levels of the Apple One Services Bundle, ranging from $ 19.95/£ 18.95 per day. Month for $ 37.95/£ 36.95 per Month.
Does Apple TV+ have a free trial?
Yes, but it only lasts for seven days, but there are ways to get a longer test. Read: How to get Apple TV FREE.
The United Kingdom and South Africa are exceptions – Apple offers no free trial there.
Is there anything on Apple TV FREE?
Some people are understandably confused when they have paid for an Apple TV+ subscription, or bought an Apple TV set top box, they find that only Apple Original Shows are included in their subscription. Apple shows shows from other services and allows the rent and purchase of other shows and movies probably won’t help this confusion.
However, there is some content you can see for free, even without an Apple TV+ subscription. You can watch the first episodes of many shows that can at least tell you whether you should subscribe to end the season or not. Sometimes Apple shows are available for free, for example, certain Charlie Brown episodes and some movies.
Read: What is free on Apple TV+?
Does Apple have TV+ shows ads?
No. Although you will often watch a trailer for another Apple TV+ show before what you intend to look at. This is similar to many other streaming services and it is bounce.
What shows and movies are available right now?
Subscribe to Apple TV+ gives you access to a library of exclusive content rather than access to a large back catalog of TV shows or movies, so there’s not as much available as some other services. That said, the content over the years has risen.
We maintain a detailed list of all the currently available content Apple TV+.
What shows and movies are coming in the future?
Apple has nothing if not deep pockets and a desire to win. The company has used a small fortune to acquire exclusive shows and movies from other production companies and has even started its own (Apple Studios) to produce its own.
It is safe to say that there is a lot going on, but the pace of new releases in comparison with competitors like Netflix.
We maintain a list of all shows, series and movies that come to Apple TV+.
Does Apple publishes once a week or drops throughout seasons at once?
Apple’s approach varies. With brand new shows, Apple will often release the first three episodes at one time when the rest of the season comes to a speed of one episode a week. Second seasons and later can start at just one a week, and some limited series (especially documentaries) make all the episodes available at once.
New releases for Apple TV+ typically happen Friday at midnight (so you can watch the latest episode of Ted Lasso at. 21 Thursday night, Pacific Time).
Can I download shows for offline view?
Yes, with a few warnings. Apple seems to place no limits on downloads of the same content across iPhones, iPads and Macs owned by the same account. For example, we downloaded the same episode of Servant On all three of these devices via the TV app without any problems.
But this is where freedom ends. Apple does not allow you to download Apple TV+ content on Apple TV, nor does it allow it on other streaming devices, smart TVs, or when watching shows in a browser.
Shows you downloading to your iPhone, iPad or Mac will be available for 30 days, after which your devices automatically remove them. You can also manually delete them via the TV app.
Does Apple TV+ simultaneously stream?
Apple TV+ allows for six simultaneous streams at once, which is more than you get from any other on-demand streaming service on the market. More family members with family sharing can all stream their own content at once.
How do I change the streaming quality so I don’t burn through my data?
A single episode of an Apple TV+ Show that See can use over 2 GB of your mobile data. You can prevent Apple’s service from hogging so much data on your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings > TV. You can see options for using cellular data or not, can change between automatic and high quality flow and can change the quality of downloads over cellular.
Can you use family sharing with Apple TV+?
Yes. A single Apple TV+ subscription can be shared with up to five additional family members.
Each family member has their own watch history and recommendations – it’s like they had their own individual subscription.
Are all Apple TV+ Shows available in 4K?
Yes. Early on, Apple announced that all shows would be available in 4K HDR/DOLBY VISION and that “most” shows would have Dolby Atmos Sound but it didn’t just say how Well that would be. According to FlatPlanelshds Rasmus Larsen, Apple TV+ offers the best 4K streaming quality of any service on the market. It’s actually so good that 4K Bitrates is better than what you want to see in some iTunes movies.
When Larsen wrote his post in November 2019, See Had the highest bitrate of any Apple TV+ show with an average bit rate of 29 Mbps and a top of 41 Mbps. Snoopy in the room An average of 13 Mbps, which is impressive for a cartoon. In comparison, Netflix’s 4K Bitrates tends to reach the top with approx. 16 Mbps.