Apple TV+ Gets a 30% Price Increase in the US: But Does it Affect India?

Apple has announced a price increase for its Apple TV+ monthly subscription. The new cost is $12.99 (approximately Rs. 1,130) per month, marking a 30% rise in the US and other international markets. Despite this change, the Apple One bundle, which includes Apple TV+, remains unaffected in terms of pricing.

Subscribers in India can breathe easy as the monthly fee for Apple TV+ stays at Rs. 99. This was confirmed by Gadgets 360. Meanwhile, new subscribers globally will face the updated rates immediately, while existing users will see the increase after their current billing cycle ends.

Apple TV+ Price Hike

This marks the third time in three years that Apple has increased its streaming service prices. Initially priced at $4.99 (around Rs. 436), it rose to $6.99 (roughly Rs. 611) in October 2022. A year later, it climbed to $9.99 (about Rs. 873). The price had remained stable since then until this recent hike.

The annual plan's cost remains unchanged at $99 (approximately Rs. 8,600). Apple's decision to raise only the monthly subscription price leaves the annual plan as a more economical option for long-term users.

Reasons Behind the Price Increase

Apple has not officially explained the reasons for this price adjustment. However, an email cited by Variety suggests that the absence of advertisements and an expanding content library are factors contributing to this decision.

"Since its launch, Apple TV+ has expanded its deep library of hundreds of Apple Originals, with thousands of hours of premium programming across genres and brand-new releases weekly - all ad-free," reportedly stated by the company.

Content and Financial Aspects

Apple TV+ boasts several acclaimed shows like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show featuring stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Gary Oldman. Despite these successes, reports indicate that Apple incurs over $1 billion (around Rs. 8,604 crore) in losses annually from its streaming service.

The tech giant initially invested over $5 billion (roughly Rs. 43,020 crore) annually on content since launching Apple TV+ in 2019 but plans to reduce this by $500 million (approximately Rs. 4,302 crore) in 2024. This strategic move comes amidst Apple's efforts to balance financial sustainability with maintaining a robust content offering on its platform without advertisements.