In the month since Apple launched its original content streaming service Apple TV+, it has been quietly been ticking away in the shadow of Disney and Netflix
Dec. 10, 2019
It has been a promising few months for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). In the past few days, Apple’s stock price has reached an all-time high, which means the company is doing something right.
But where does Apple’s streaming service fit in with its ever-growing empire?
In the never-ending battle for your living room, the big bads of the industry seem to be Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) and Disney (NYSE: DIS), with Apple not really getting much attention in relation to the ongoing streaming wars.
We spoke before about how Apple could be a potential threat to the dominance of Netflix, but Disney appears to be in control of that title, with many critics labeling the iPhone maker’s new streaming service as ‘not worth $5 a month’.
Can this change?
It looks like this status may already be taking a turn for Apple TV+, with the relatively content-light service — it launched with just nine shows — receiving its first Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama with its flagship title ‘The Morning Show’, starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The nomination comes on the back of some divisive comments from executive producer Mimi Leder, who referred to criticism of the show as an ‘attack on Apple’.
Although Apple has not disclosed any subscription numbers, back in September, CEO Tim Cook announced that any purchases of a new iOS or Apple TV device will come with one year’s subscription to the streaming service. This led to analysts predicting at least 10 million active users within its first year.
It’s all a numbers game…
It is unclear what plans Apple has to make Apple TV+ profitable — the company intends to spend $6 billion on original content — but it is clear that this new service is in line with Apple’s new subscription-based business model.
Traditional ‘product’ companies such as Nike (NYSE: NKE) and Apple have been moving towards a more subscription dominated future, which will allow them to create an annual revenue stream that is not reliant on sales.
Apple is closing in on half-a-billion paid subscribers across all of its services, with Apple TV+ added to its already packed roster which includes Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Arcade, and much more.
Whether Apple can make its streaming service a viable revenue generator or not is up for debate, but it is clear that the company is building a sustainable ecosystem of customers who maintain a symbiotic relationship with all their devices and services within the Apple sphere of influence.
MyWallSt operates a full disclosure policy. MyWallSt staff currently hold long positions in Apple, Disney, Nike, and Netflix. Read our full disclosure policy here.