Apple TV Plus reported subscriber numbers arent even close to Netflix and Disney Plus

Date:
Mon, 27 Sep 2021 10:55:04 +0000

Description:
Apple recently revealed its subscriber count for Apple TV Plus in North America, according to a TV and film union.

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Apple has been fairly guarded when it comes to revealing subscriber numbers for its Apple TV Plus streamer, so it may come as a surprise to learn that
the platform allegedly has less than 20 million paying users in North
America.

Last week, CNBC reported that a spokesman for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees said Apple told the union of its subscriber count as of July 2021, a figure which, by law, would allow the company to pay behind-the-scenes production crews lower rates than those working on Netflix or Disney Plus shows.

Thats because both of those rival streamers boast around 74 and 38 million subscribers in North America, respectively, meaning theyre obliged to pay production teams a wage that meets a certain threshold. Best Netflix movies Best Disney Plus movies Best Netflix shows

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (which Apple is a
part of) doesnt create carve-outs for specific companies, according to a spokesperson for the industry group mentioned in the report, and Apple itself has since claimed that the company pays rates equivalent to those paid to workers on other streamers.

Union negotiations aside, though, this mysterious less than 20 million figure reveals a relatively new streaming service in uncertain health. Analysis: Unfair comparisons?

Obviously, less than 20 million paying subscribers in the US which could conceivably mean anything from one to 19 million isnt anything close to Netflix, and Disney Plus 38 million-person equivalent figure might as well be double that of Apple TV Plus, but the playing field isnt a level one.

The former, for instance, spent nearly a decade building its now-impressive library of content on the back of existing pedigree in the DVD rental market, while the latter coughed up eye-watering sums of money on perhaps the two
most valuable IPs in the history of filmmaking (Star Wars and Marvel, for reference), which all-but guaranteed a large number of paying subscribers at launch. Unleashing the Disney animation library, too, offered Disney Plus tremendous value and an easy sell.

By comparison, its worth remembering that Apple TV Plus is built upon
original content exclusively. That means theres no old movies or existing TV shows in its library, rather completely new (read: completely untested) content like Ted Lasso , Mythic Quest and Foundation .

We recently dug into the importance of Apple TVs newest shows in more detail, and though these subscriber figures arguably dont reflect the quality of the streamers content, its still mightily impressive to see a platform less than two years old (it launched in November 2019) boast such a varied library of original properties.

Its unlikely that Apple TV Plus will ever catch up with Netflix when it comes to subscriber numbers, that much has long-been clear, and even with Disney Plus reportedly struggling to add more American customers in 2021 , its slate of upcoming movies and TV shows will ensure theres hysteria-level interest in its content for years to come.

That being said, Apple deserves credit for getting its burgeoning streamer as far as it has done in so little time, and the impending arrival of even more original content should see its subscriber numbers become a little easier on the eyes in the not-too-distant future. Best HBO Max movies



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-tv-plus-reported-subscriber-numbers-arent -even-close-to-netflix-and-disney-plus/


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