Apple TV Plus Joins Prime Video as an add-on at $9.99: Is it the next streaming game-changer?
Apple will take a big step forward in pushing its streaming service when it aligns itself with Amazon. This month, Apple TV Plus will be an add-on to Prime Video for users in the US. The same $9.99 monthly price that Apple charges for direct subscriptions, Prime Video users now get access to the fast-growing library of original content by Apple TV Plus.
One such strategic move that Apple makes to match the world giants is collaboration. This includes Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon’s Prime Video. Would it be enough for Apple TV Plus to really climb the ladder of the top streaming service, boost its subscriber base?
Prime Video: New Home for Apple TV Plus
Currently, Prime Video Channels already offers more than 100 streaming service add-ons; all of those allow their subscribers access to great deals of content via platforms like Paramount Plus and HBO Max. With Apple TV Plus as an added feature, Amazon is always true to its mission of becoming a one-stop shop for all entertainment demands. In actuality, according to Mike Hopkins, the head of Prime Video, at Bloomberg’s Screentime conference, what they provide channel partners is “hundreds of millions of subscribers around the world.”
And through this, more eyes are being exposed to Apple TV Plus, thereby getting access to the broad audiences of Amazon. And for this, Amazon cuts its revenue by a percentage of every sale that is generated from this platform.
But yet, there have been reports about the deal between Apple and Amazon in which it is yet to be confirmed. However, both of them gain in this agreement.
Apple TV Plus: Menu of Acclaimed Content Stumbles Over Obstacles
Underneath the queue of acclaimed shows such as Ted Lasso, Severance, and Foundation, Apple TV has flailed to keep up the upward curve in subscriber growth. In the market increasingly crowded with majors from Netflix to Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max, Apple TV Plus lags in the numbers game.
In fact, the JustWatch streaming guide reportedly showed that Paramount Plus recently surpassed Apple TV Plus in market share. Beyond this, market research firm Antenna noted that Apple TV Plus has one of the highest cancellation rates for any streaming service out there. The expensive original programming it offers hasn’t gathered a widespread subscriber base, assuming this is because there are just too many streaming services for people to keep track of.
How the Prime Video Deal Hopes to Fuel Apple TV Plus
Instead, the Apple TV Plus inclusion in Prime Video is not a bundled deal like those Comcast and other multichannel video programmers are offering for all-in-one access to Netflix, Peacock, and Apple TV Plus, but the aim is similar: simplifying the user experience by reducing the number of apps and subscriptions that audiences have to juggle.
At the same time, streaming fatigue has become a normal phenomenon as viewers get tired of juggling multiple subscriptions. And with Prime Video Channels, Amazon can presume that all the streaming services it needs to provide can be combined into one ecosystem so the user can get everything that the user loves, and now Apple TV Plus is part of the option, which can stop subscription cancellations and thus provides the much-needed audience to keep the platform alive.
Find Out More About Amazon Prime Video Channels
Will This Partnership Help Apple TV+ Fight the Good Fight?
Five major players currently hold the US streaming market: Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus, Max, and Hulu. Apple TV Plus is doing its best to carve out some space for itself, but it can’t seem to catch the breakneck pace at which its competition is growing. In a deal with Amazon, Apple hopes it will unlock new markets and push up retention.
According to Hopkins, it will fall right in the line with the intent of the company to become a global “first-stop entertainment hub.” With Apple TV Plus being added to the mix, Prime Video subscribers have many more reasons to continue sticking with Amazon for all their entertainment needs.
The Future of Streaming: What’s Next for Apple and Amazon?
It can be the evolution on how content is consumed, with more and more streaming services starting to collude and conflate their offerings. Consider the recent joint venture of Apple TV Plus and Prime Video. Apple TV Plus is looking to find that resonance with the evolving demand, having started its collaboration with Prime Video. Whether this moves Apple TV Plus forward in terms of picking up headway is to be seen but it is a move in the right direction.
With the battle for subscribers heating up, Apple TV Plus can’t afford to turn down whatever advantage it can get. This might just be a lifeline for the platform, though it definitely has a lot of work to do before it’ll even think about touching Netflix or Prime Video.
Only time will tell if Apple TV Plus can clinch a place in the market of streaming platforms, given how competitive the area has become. Meanwhile, users can take advantage of the higher convenience and greater access to premium content from Prime Video.
This collaboration between Apple and Amazon is an exciting possibility for each company and, more importantly, to streaming fans who want to find a better way of enjoying their favorite shows and movies.
Stay updated: Tech News
