Pros & Cons
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- Support for 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos
- Lacks ads
- Offline downloads
- Strong accessibility options
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- Relatively expensive
- Smaller library than several rivals
- Bare-bones web interface
Apple TV+ Specs
| Concurrent Streams | 6 |
| DVR Storage & Retention | None |
| MLB Playoffs Coverage | None |
| Offline Downloads on Mobile | |
| On-Demand Movies and TV Shows | |
| Original Programming | |
| RSN Coverage | None |
| Starting Price | $12.99 per month |
| World Series Coverage | None |
Years after its debut into a packed video streaming market, Apple TV has found its niche by focusing on quality over quantity. Just as Apple makes premium hardware and software, Apple TV makes premium original entertainment with acclaimed shows, Oscar-winning films, and sophisticated sports offerings. Apple TV also has impressive premium features: Subscribers can stream shows in 4K, download content for offline viewing on iOS, and enjoy ad-free viewing. Still, the library is far more limited than what you'd expect from an industry heavy hitter, a problem that becomes more noticeable as the service grows more expensive. Editors' Choice winners Hulu, Netflix, and Peacock offer far more variety with their subscriptions.
Price and Platforms
After its most recent price increase, Apple TV—recently renamed from Apple TV+, and not to be confused with the Apple TV 4K media hub—now costs $12.99 per month. However, you can save money by signing up for the $99.99-per-year annual subscription. Apple offers a seven-day trial, but you must provide a payment method. Purchasers of new Apple devices get a year of free access. See our story on how to cancel your Apple TV subscription for detailed info on the cancellation process.
(Credit: Apple/PCMag)You can also get Apple TV through one of several Apple One subscription bundles. The Individual plan includes Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $19.95 per month. The $25.95-per-month Family tier boosts the iCloud storage to 200GB, and you can share the service with up to six family members. The $37.95-per-month Premier option has Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and 2TB of iCloud storage. Other video streaming services offer bundles, too. For example, you can pay $16.99 per month to get ESPN+ and the ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu.
Apple TV is now more expensive than many other top streaming services. Peacock starts at $7.99 per month, and Netflix starts at $7.99 per month. However, those are for the ad-supported tiers. Apple TV lacks commercials. Hulu and Max's ad-supported plans are less expensive than Apple's at $9.99 per month. If you don't want to pay anything for your entertainment, our roundup of the best free video streaming services has options worth checking out. Our top free pick, Tubi, includes popular and offbeat network shows and movies.
For a rundown on how to get started with the service, see how to get and use Apple TV. In addition to hosting Apple TV originals, the app lets you subscribe to other services, which it designates as channels. These include on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Paramount+, as well as DirecTV Stream and other live TV services. You can also rent and buy movies and shows from the app. Note that Apple TV channels are not the same as subscribing to the services on their own; if you subscribe to them via Apple TV, you can only watch them on devices that support the Apple TV app.
You can subscribe to Apple TV on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, as well as via tv.apple.com in your web browser. Support extends to select LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs and any media streaming devices that support the Apple TV app, such as newer Roku units. Apple now offers Apple TV apps for video game consoles and Android devices.
What's on Apple TV?
Apple TV's catalog includes Central Park, an animated musical series about a family who lives in the famous park; Little Voice, a romantic comedy; Mythic Quest, a video game-themed workplace comedy; Tehran, a co-produced spy-thriller revolving around the Israeli-Iranian conflict; Tiny World, a nature documentary series; and real-life tech drama WeCrashed. Apple promises new shows every month and new episodes every week. However, the total number of exclusive titles (shows and movies) is around 300 entries. Netflix, on the other hand, has originals in the thousands.
(Credit: Apple/PCMag)You won't find fan favorites from broadcast networks or older shows to bolster Apple TV's offerings. Disney+, on the other hand, debuted with a staggering number of shows and movies from its vast catalog and a trove of 21st Century Fox content, in addition to the promise of new originals, such as The Mandalorian. None of the other services we've reviewed depend entirely on brand-new original shows.
Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Netflix are the current leaders in producing original content. Among Amazon Prime's most notable shows are Bosch, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Patriot, and Undone. Max is highly regarded for its original shows, both past and present, including Game of Thrones, Six Feet Under, The Wire, and Westworld. Netflix's blockbuster originals include Bojack Horseman, Ozark, Russian Doll, Stranger Things, The Crown, and Tiger King. All these services also offer non-original shows and movies.
There's a clear value in the third-party content that pads out the vast catalogs of services like Hulu and Prime Video. Apple certainly has the resources to build up its library, but you should weigh the show and movie reviews before subscribing. For what it's worth, though, Apple TV originals like Ted Lasso and Severance have become acclaimed hits and genuine parts of current pop culture.
Apple TV's library includes several documentaries and feature-length films, such as Beastie Boys Story, a documentary about the band directed by Spike Jonze; Greyhound, a WWII thriller starring Tom Hanks; and the comedy On The Rocks, which stars Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, and Marlon Wayans. Coda was the first streaming-funded film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Cinephiles should check out our roundup of the best movie streaming services for more complete options. Look to The Criterion Channel, Filmatique, Mubi, or Ovid for good selections of classic and independent films.
The service also offers sports. With Apple TV, you can stream Friday night MLB games, which are included with your existing subscription. Meanwhile, soccer fans can check out the MLS Season Pass at a discounted price of $12.99 per month if they're already subscribed to Apple TV. Multiview lets you watch multiple live games at once on Apple TV devices.
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(Credit: Apple/PCMag)Apple TV on Mobile
I tested Apple TV on an iPhone. Apple TV's interface is clear and easily navigable, with set buttons across the bottom for Watch Now, Library, and Search. In the app, Apple Originals live in your Watch Now and Library tabs alongside HBO, Showtime, and Starz content. Note that you can't sort shows by network unless you are a subscriber. Tapping the standard cloud-plus-down-arrow icon next to an episode listing lets you download a show for offline viewing. Downloading a show may take several minutes, given the large file sizes.
I watched an episode of The Morning Show over Wi-Fi, and the stream was generally sharp. I didn't like that you must back out of the playback screen to the show listing to play the next episode. Note that Apple TV integrates with iOS's built-in parental control options.
Apple TV on the Web
Although Apple's marketing mainly highlights the Apple TV streaming service on devices that support the Apple TV app, you can sign up for the service and watch shows via a web browser. In testing, Apple TV's web interface seems less polished than the Apple TV app. For instance, you can browse and watch only Apple TV content—none of the other services that you can subscribe to via the Apple TV app appear here.
The Apple TV website is elegant, but like many of the service's shows, the richness of the experience is only surface-deep. All the shows appear in a wide list. Selecting a show brings you to a description page with the show's available episodes, cast information, and other Apple TV recommendations. You can also search for shows and add them to your Up Next list.
Want to access account settings? Click the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen to view your billing information and change your subscription. Likewise, you can set up parental control restrictions, but note that these limitations are not profile-based; whatever settings you choose apply to everyone using that account on the web.
(Credit: Apple/PCMag)I watched several episodes from The Morning Show, See, and For All Mankind in Chrome and Edge on a 1080p monitor, and the shows looked and sounded excellent. Playback controls are standard, with a draggable progress bar, forward and rewind buttons, a volume slider, and accessibility options in the lower-right corner. Apple TV has many language and closed caption options, too. In addition, you can tweak the size and position of the text on the screen to make it more readable or fire up clearly labeled audio descriptions.
Technical Details
Apple TV's technical features are impressive. As noted, subscribers can download content for offline viewing on iOS devices via the Apple TV app. Max, Netflix, Prime Video, and Showtime also include offline viewing capabilities. Hulu only offers this capability to subscribers of its premium ad-free tier.
Apple TV users can share a subscription and stream with up to six people via Apple's Family Sharing feature. Apple says that Originals are "subtitled and/or dubbed in nearly 40 languages, including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) or closed captions" and support audio descriptions in eight languages. Amazon Prime Video and Netflix also support Audio Descriptions. This accessibility feature adds vocal narrations to scenes to explain character movements, settings, and other on-screen actions not discernible from character dialog. These accessibility options outclass those found in competitors.
(Credit: Apple/PCMag)4K streaming, HDR, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision support round out the list of Apple TV's tech specs. Only select devices, such as the Apple TV 4K, support all these capabilities. Netflix and Prime Video offer some original shows in 4K, with sporadic support for the Dolby Atmos and Vision standards. Since most launch shows support these high-end standards, the service, combined with the Apple TV 4K, could be very attractive to home theater enthusiasts.
Can You Watch Apple TV With a VPN?
You should use a VPN to protect your internet traffic from nosy ISPs and malicious actors on a network. Many video streaming services block VPN traffic, though, because a VPN also allows you to spoof your location and potentially watch location-restricted content. Apple plans to offer Apple TV in over 100 countries with the same content, so that shouldn't be an issue. I streamed content from Apple TV via the web with a desktop connected to a US-based Mullvad VPN server.
Even if you do find a VPN that works with your video streaming service, you might eventually get blocked, as video streaming services actively work to block VPN connections. I recommend selecting a VPN based on additional factors, such as its privacy policy, performance, and features.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: Apple)
Apple TV
Apple TV's streaming catalog embraces a quality-over-quantity approach, but its high price makes its relatively limited library a tougher sell than that of rivals with deeper catalogs.