Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming video service, has finally debuted to the world. With the service comes numerous questions like “What is Apple TV+” or “Should I subscribe to Apple TV+” I’m not sure that I can answer all your questions, but after having used the service for a couple of weeks now, here’s my take on Apple’s new streaming service.
- What is Apple TV+?
- How much does Apple TV+ cost?
- How to Watch
- The Shows
- How does it look?
- What’s Missing
- My opinion
What is Apple TV+?
As I mentioned above, Apple TV+ is the electronic company’s new streaming video service. Think of this is Apple’s version of Netflix.
Apple’s streaming service brings original television programming that Apple has bought and created to the table. You won’t find seasons of old shows or iTunes content from other companies here.
Apple has invested lots of money to develop and produce these shows, movies, and documentaries to stream on its service (I’ll get into the shows here). As of launch, there are 8 shows that you can stream as well as one documentary.
How much does it cost?
One of the smartest things that the company did, when it released Apple TV+, was to keep the cost of entry down. Apple TV+ is priced at only $4.99 per month, or $49.99 for a year if you pay upfront.
Of course, if you bought a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV since the last Apple Event, you get a year of the service for free. That’s how I’m getting to try the service out.
Even better, if you are part of a Shared Family Apple account, everyone on the account gets it. So, if the family account holder subscribes, everyone now has access without a price increase. Family accounts can hold up to six family members, so that means six accounts for the price of one!
The folks at Apple want to get the content in front of as many people as possible, and so far, they have made it very easy and inexpensive to try it out.
How to watch Apple TV+
The majority of the time, you’d use the Apple TV app on any Apple device. The Cupertino company didn’t do users any favor with the naming scheme. Still, every iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple TV, along with some 3rd party TVs, have a dedicated media app called Apple TV.
Apple TV+ the service lives inside the Apple TV app. It is inside this app that you sign up for the service, navigate to what you want to watch, and browse the catalog. You will see your Up Next list in the top row and then shows that Apple is trying to promote underneath it. The problem here is that all the services that tie into the Apple TV app could show up here.
Just under that first couple of rows, Apple has placed its banner for the service. Large banners highlight the shows they are currently promoting.
As it currently stands, it is not the easiest thing to navigate. Apple doesn’t have a section that’s easily accessible to see everything that’s out there. But once you do find something to watch, things improve significantly. Shows get added to your Up Next Rows, and that area gets updated when new episodes drop.
I would argue that it might be better for Apple to add a tab to the top to see just what is in the service to make things more discoverable, but watching and updating is easy.
Since the service is integrated as an Apple TV Channel, you’ll also be able to download episodes when they come out. To download, simply push on the cloud-like icon that has come to mean download for Apple’s Services.
Of course, if you don’t have an Apple device, you can still stream everything from a web browser. The website seems a little easier to use than the TV app as it lists out the shows and what episode you are on.
The Shows
Right now, the shows aren’t water cooler gossip shows. By that, I mean that they aren’t the big hits that will get everyone into the service.
When the service launched, most shows came with three episodes for the audience to sink their teeth into. After that, new episodes will release weekly. Compare this to Disney+ which is only launching its original content with one new episode and weekly releases, Apple’s take lets you get a feel for the show.
The Morning Show
Apple has promoted The Morning Show as its big flagship/groundbreaking show. The Morning Show on Apple TV+ didn’t set the critics on fire. In fact, most of them really panned the show saying it was dull and just tried to promote Apple products.
I’ve watched the first episode of The Morning Show, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t as good as some shows that I’ve seen, and I had some problem with the story of episode one, but I think it has potential. It has to, what with the names behind it.
Right now, I’ll probably keep up with the show, but I’m not counting down the days until the next episode comes out.
See
I was skeptical about this show from the first moment. See is Apple’s big take on genre television. I don’t want to compare this show to Game of Thrones because it definitely is not that show.
It is a high concept fantasy show, though. Everyone in the world has lost their sight. Jason Mamoa of Aquaman fame kicks some butt. I feel like the production values on this one are great, but once again, I’m not sure how much the story has gripped me.
This show can get pretty weird. If it continues and there are some mysteries or startling deaths, I can see it picking up steam and grabbing people in. Right now, though, it’s just okay.
For All Mankind
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. It was the first one that I tried, but it was one that hesitant to try. The premise of the show didn’t really sound too exciting.
The story is about an alternate world in which the Russians made it to the moon before the Americans.
I found myself playing on my phone more than watching. I don’t think the show is bad at all, but it just didn’t really grasp my interest. If your taste fall in line with historical fiction, you’ll probably really love this.
But this show seems to be the most popular. Critics really seemed to love it. I might try to give it a few more episodes if I get time before I give up on it, but right now it is at the bottom of my list.
Dickinson
Dickinson is the show that I’ve actually liked the best so far. I wouldn’t put this show up against The Office or Parks and Recreation or anything, but I have enjoyed it. Part of it is because this show is a little shorter than the others. This is Apple TV+’s only sitcom so far, so each episode is about 30 minutes long.
The show covers the life of Emily Dickinson the Poet. So far, it seems to pick a poem and through a sitcom-style plot, it shows how Emily came up with the poem. While I’m sure the authors are creating some fiction to make things work, they are also bringing in many aspects of Dickinson’s real life. Such as her sexual orientation and her issues with the patriarchy, without getting too heavy-handed.
I think the show is just like every other show in the service right now. It needs to grow and flesh out the story and characters to really show us if we need to keep watching.
Streaming Quality
Apple TV+ streams great as well. I don’t have a 4K television, nor an Apple TV 4K. I do have an Apple TV HD and everything has loaded quickly and looks great.
On my 5K iMac, things look great. The colors pop and the definition is high.
Reports have said that Apple’s streaming is one of the best. The quality is coming in at high bit rates than all of the competitors. Apple doesn’t have as much content to stream, but the service has launched to a wide audience so it will be interesting to see how it grows and if it can maintain the lead in this.
What’s Missing
Right now, I feel like the service is okay. It has some dramas that may develop and get stronger as the season goes. That said, this is a brand new streaming service. Apple had to take some risks when it ordered the shows to be made.
One thing that I think would help bolster the service is to bring in a broader variety of shows. Right now, there’s only one sitcom. The rest are dramas, kid shows, or Oprah (which I haven’t even touched on).
The good news is that there is stuff being added weekly. No new shows have been added, but there have been new episodes every week. There will be a couple of new shows coming soon, and I’m sure there will be more down the road.
Apple has been spending money on this and I think it’s only time before something really hits.
If you think about it, there are a lot of shows on TV right now and they aren’t all the greatest shows ever. It takes a little something special for it to take over cultural conversations.
My suggestions on Apple TV+
So would I recommend you sign up for the Apple TV service?
Honestly, I wouldn’t. Not yet.
I don’t think there’s enough must-see content on the service yet. If you bought a new device and you get the year of the service for “free,” then yes, sign up and try it out.
Heck, if you are curious about any of the shows and you don’t mind spending $4 a month after a week’s trial, sign up. But if you are struggling to justify another service, I’d say skip it- for now.
But streaming services live and die by the content. If Apple were to drop something that takes over the watercooler conversation at work it’s easy to drop in and drop out of the service. That’s the great thing about what we have now instead of cable, you aren’t stuck to year-long contracts.
