On first weekend of January, Apple TV+ is free
In a bid to attract new subscribers, Apple has announced a global promotion to offer free access to its streaming service, Apple TV+, during the first weekend of January. The promotional offer will be available from January 3-5 on any device supporting Apple TV+, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and select smart TVs. To avail the offer, all you need is an active Apple ID.
Apple TV+ promotion coincides with new season releases
The free weekend comes just after the release of new seasons of popular shows like Bad Sisters and Shrinking. The ongoing season of the sci-fi series Silo will also be available for streaming during the promotional period. Apple is also likely to promote its upcoming title Severance, which is slated to release its second season on January 17.
Other shows and movies available during the promotional period
Along with the three-hour director's cut of Napoleon and the cult baby horror series Servant, viewers can also binge-watch as much of The Morning Show as they want. These are all part of a solid catalog of TV shows and movies that will be available for streaming during the promotional period. Normally, the service costs ₹99/month on a standalone basis, but Apple also bundles it with music, video games, cloud storage, etc.
Apple TV+ promotion strategy mirrors cable TV's free weekends
Apple's decision to offer a free weekend of streaming is similar to what premium cable networks used to do during the peak of cable TV. Other subscription streaming platforms, including Netflix, have also run similar free campaigns in the recent past. However, this promotional experiment is new for Apple and is considered a strategy to generate more interest in its subscriptions.
Apple TV+ contributes to company's overall services revenue
Since its launch in November 2019, Apple has not revealed the exact subscriber numbers for Apple TV+. It reports numbers for its entire services division. In the latest fiscal year, services revenue accounted for some one-fourth of the total. The company reached $25 billion in services revenue for the first time in the quarter ending September 30, with gross margins of 74%, much higher than the overall profit margin of 46%.
