Apple TV+ is home to some of the best shows available on any streaming service. Unfortunately, it still has a small library. And with the company’s recent price increase, subscribing to this platform gets trickier when you compare it to other leading streaming services available.
That said, The Wall Street Journal reports Apple is in early talks with Paramount to bundle their streaming services at a discount. With that, users would pay less for Apple TV+ and Paramount+ than they would separately.
To the publication, Erin McPherson, senior vice president and chief content officer at Verizon Communication, said the rebundling of streaming services is happening “faster than we thought,” which is why “bundles are here to stay.”
More recently, Netflix and Max bundled as part of a deal with Verizon. Disney, for example, offers Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundled together as a part of a package. Although the price is high, this helps streaming services get more valuable, as users can get more content for just one subscription – and Apple knows that.
The company already offers Apple One, a sweet deal for hard-core Apple users who want to take advantage of Music, TV+, Arcade, iCloud, Fitness+, and News+. But those who aren’t die-hard company users or prefer Spotify, Google Drive, or whatever might not find value in this subscription – or on Apple TV+ alone.
According to Antenna data from The Wall Street Journal, Apple TV+ and Paramount+ had a customer-defection rate of more than 7% in October, a higher rate than the 5.7% average for the industry. This is concerning, as these services are among the ones with fewer subscribers.
Will the Apple TV+ bundle with Paramount+ save the streamings?
A bundle doesn’t seem like it could dramatically change the situations for Apple TV+ or Paramount+. On the other hand, it might help bring in a few new customers, as they can watch more content for less.
In Brazil, thanks to my carrier, I used to have Paramount+ for free. But since they parted ways, I haven’t found a reason to re-subscribe. For Apple TV+, I have always been a subscriber thanks to the streaming service’s inclusion in Apple One. That being said, I honestly wouldn’t pay for the service alone if it weren’t for this bundle.
Interestingly, as we get more streaming services, I feel like we’re returning to the cable era, where we have tons of channels to watch but nothing we really want to see. I also believe the bundle era is here to stay. Still, Apple will need a better deal than Paramount+ to remain relevant – even though Cupertino has endless money to burn on its streaming.
