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The news: Apple is hiking Apple TV+ subscriptions from $9.99 to $12.99 a month in the US and other select markets. The change took effect Thursday for new subscribers and will begin within 30 days of renewal for existing ones. Annual plans and Apple One bundles remain unchanged. Our take: Price hikes may stabilize short-term revenue, but they heighten the churn risk when loyalty is fragile. Apple is betting that prestige shows and an ad-free edge justify a 30% hike, but with churn peaking, this risks price-sensitive viewers simply switching away.

The news: TikTok renewed its Lionel Messi-focused live broadcast deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) after a successful 2024 livestream, per a blog post. TikTok will partner with Apple TV to broadcast four select matches in the current MLS season, with a dedicated camera angle focused on Messi during each match. Our take: TikTok and Apple TV鈥檚 newest move is another bid to capitalize on a well-known athlete in a profitable genre, where advertising opportunities are plentiful and success is essentially guaranteed. Sports are one of the most reliable ad environments, offering scale, loyalty, and global reach.

The news: As US interest in soccer grows with the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a year away, one streaming brand with deep ties to soccer is notably absent from the pre-World Cup hype: Apple TV+. Our take: Apple TV+ is fathoms behind leading services with approximately 45 million subscribers, per The Information. Without a legacy media business to support its streaming operations, sports leagues have a wealth of other channels to partner with for better reach.

The news: Apple鈥檚 F1: The Movie made $144 million globally in its opening weekend, becoming the company鈥檚 first box office success after prior flops. With standout reviews and marketing synced across the Apple ecosystem, the Brad Pitt-led film was driven by premium formats like IMAX and high youth turnout. Our take: F1 validates Apple鈥檚 blockbuster ambitions, but success here is about more than ticket sales. It鈥檚 a brand-building tool, aimed at strengthening Apple TV+ and its wider services. Turning big-screen moments into lasting streaming growth is the next test鈥攅specially as Apple balances cost, competition, and the evolving economics of global theatrical releases.

While Apple TV+ lost money, Services revenue hit $96.2 billion in 2024鈥攕howing Apple鈥檚 broader ecosystem is carrying the weight of its content ambitions.

Who will be the MLB鈥檚 new streaming partner? As MLB鈥檚 partnership with ESPN is ending, Apple TV+ could eye a deal to expand its sports catalog.

"Severance" drives record Apple TV+ engagement: The streamer saw a 126% surge in new subscribers, proving the impact of high-quality original content.

Apple TV+ offers free weekend: A blend of traditional tactics and tech strategy aims to boost subscribers ahead of Severance Season 2.

Apple TV+ has long struggled to gain momentum. The company鈥檚 streaming TV segment is its only unprofitable subscription service, losing over $1 billion annually and maintaining a viewer base far behind its competitors. And despite attempts to grow subscribers through a free preview model and expansion into prestige content, Apple TV+ only captured 0.2% of TV viewership in 2024.

The platform battle for attention: The CTV market is now a high-stakes fight for consumer loyalty, with platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV jockeying to be the default streaming hub. Comcast鈥檚 StreamStore combines app aggregation with seamless, centralized billing鈥攁 convenience few of its rivals fully control.

Sapphire Reserve will also offer free Apple TV and Apple Music subscriptions. Sapphire Reserve's existing perks, like a flexible $300 annual travel credit for the cardholders鈥� anniversary; the choice between Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus credit; lounge access; and travel protection remain in the package. Chase also said it will roll out a new Sapphire Reserve Business card later this month.

The chart below measures subscription streaming price increases by tracking how the cheapest ad-free standalone subscription prices have changed for Hulu, Disney+, Max, Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, and Apple TV+ collectively.

Apple feels the pain of Apple TV+ struggles: Its Q4 revenues missed the mark in some divisions including Services, which includes advertising.

A look at Services: Despite some notable wins like the second season of Apple TV+ show 鈥淪everance鈥� last quarter, Apple鈥檚 Services category missed the mark. The category had previously been a bright spot for growth as product sales slowed, but the revenue miss could suggest Apple can鈥檛 rely on subscriptions and ads to offset potential tariff-related losses.

The low-cost live TV service will remain independently available on major platforms like Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices, with its leadership team staying in place. Roku expects the acquisition to strengthen its subscription business and broaden its content offerings with popular linear channels like Hallmark and A&E.

Most subscription streaming services offer ad-free and ad-supported plans. After Amazon Prime Video introduced its ad plan in January, Apple TV+ became the biggest advertising holdout among streamers. Advertising holdouts have gradually accepted commercial breaks in their programming.

On today's episode, we discuss why CEO Susan Wojcicki is leaving YouTube, the company's top concerns at the moment, and what the future holds. "In Other News," we talk about ads for Apple TV+ and a startup that is attempting to improve ad measurement. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Evelyn Mitchell.

Apple TV+ is the largest holdout in streaming advertising, and many insiders believe it, too, will eventually offer an ad tier. It is rare for subscription streaming services to not sell advertising. With nearly every service selling inventory, there are a lot more impressions available for purchase. In H1 2024, US CTV ads served by FreeWheel grew 14% YoY.

Time spent with CTV includes all time spent using the internet through a CTV; includes CTV devices such as Apple TV, Xfinity Flex, connected Blu-ray devices, connected game consoles, Google Chromecast, Roku, and smart TVs. Advertisers spend a disproportionate amount on social video considering how much time is spent watching it.