I'm not canceling Apple TV Plus — here's why

I'm not canceling Apple TV Plus — here'southward why

(Prototype credit: Apple)

June 30 is circled my calendar with a annotation to "cancel Apple Idiot box Plus." That'south when my free trial — which began when the streaming serviced launched in November 2019 — finally ends. Apple extended that complimentary trial twice until July 2021, when I and millions of other users volition have to start paying for it.

So, I set a reminder to cancel Apple tree Television set Plus. But now, I'm keeping it — and non merely to watch Ted Lasso season two. I'll pay $four.99 a month because, some 20 months afterwards launch, Apple tree TV Plus is hitting its groove and making a case for itself in the crowded streaming mural. Call it Hot Apple tree Television receiver Plus Summer.

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When Apple Television receiver Plus launched, it was ... well, there wasn't much to it beyond a handful of marquee originals, like The Morning Bear witness, For All Mankind and Dickinson.

Apple insisted it was going to focus only on high-quality originals, not on building a back catalog of content like every other streamer in existence. Just that lack of a library made Apple tree TV Plus fall far backside the other new streaming service that debuted in November 2019: Disney Plus. The house of the mouse's streaming platform quickly exceeded its subscriber goals cheers to a deep vault of classic films and a blockbuster hitting original in The Mandalorian.

Then came robust players with big catalogs like HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount Plus and even Discovery Plus. Each beckons potential subscribers with franchises such as Friends, The Function, Harry Potter, Batman and Star Trek.

Apple Telly Plus couldn't compete with that, so to go on users from fleeing, the service relied on the oldest sales trick in the book: Giving away free samples.

The Apple TV Plus free trial couldn't final forever

Apple TV Plus already boasted one of the longest free trials of whatsoever subscription service. With the purchase of an eligible Apple tree product, yous received a gratuitous one-yr trial to Apple tree TV Plus. I bought an iPhone 11 Pro in the fall of 2019 and signed up for the new service on launch day, Nov 1.

The adjacent Oct, in the midst of the pandemic, Apple announced it was extending that trial through February 2021. At a time when everybody was staying at home, streaming entertainment kept many of us sane and nosotros applauded Apple's move.

Then in February of this year, Apple decided to extend the gratuitous trial again, to July 2021. Yes, the pandemic was still going on (though vaccines had begun rolling out), but this time, the extension didn't seem like a good sign for Apple Tv Plus.

I wondered if their subscriber numbers were and then low that the company was ameliorate off continuing to consume the cost of producing all that glossy content for a piddling longer. At least until they had more/enough glossy content to make users like me feel like I was getting my monthly $five worth. That fourth dimension has finally come up.

Apple tree Tv set Plus is poised to accept a great summer

When I was putting together our summer Boob tube 2021 must-watch list, I noticed how many of the titles volition be on Apple tree TV Plus. In fact, Apple tree Idiot box Plus looks to have the best lineup out of all streaming services and TV networks this summertime.

Information technology's anchored, of class, by the return of Ted Lasso, possibly the all-time evidence to debut terminal year and certainly one of the peak new comedies of the last decade. Yous'd improve BELIEVE nosotros'll be glued to our screen when Ted Lasso season 2 premieres July 23.

Only one slap-up prove does not a streaming service make. This summertime too brings the second season of the excellent animated musical one-act Central Park and a handful of intriguing new series featuring big names.

Physical stars Rose Byrne as a housewife in the '80s who builds an aerobics empire. The show looks like information technology could fill the GLOW-sized hole that Netflix shot through our hearts.

Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael-Cardinal team up for Schmigadoon!, a satire of the Broadway musical Brigadoon. They're two of our favorite comedic performers and nosotros're excited to see them sing, trip the light fantastic toe and joke around.

Mr. Corman was created, written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who likewise stars in the pb role. He's previously said that the main character is a "what if" version of himself, if he'd made different choices in life.

On the movies side, in August, Apple Television Plus is presenting CODA, the Sundance Film Festival darling about a teen girl who has grown upward equally the child of deaf adults. The motion-picture show won the festival's G Jury Prize and could exist a contender in the upcoming awards season.

On top of all that are shows that are already streaming now, like the new miniseries Lisey's Story, adapted by Stephen Rex from his own novel, produced by J.J. Abrams and starring Julianne Moore. New seasons of Mythic Quest and Trying are also in the eye of their runs.

Apple TV Plus' bet on quality is paying off

And let's not forget the sterling, if pocket-sized, library that Apple tree Tv set has built up over the terminal 20 months. The Morning Show is worth watching, Dickinson is delightfully weird and For All Mankind had an amazing second season that ended with a jaw-dropping finale.

For All Mankind on Apple TV Plus — (Image credit: Apple tree)

Apple'south unscripted department has a lot to offer, from the gorgeous nature photography of Tiny Earth to the mental health serial from Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey. Billie Eilish: The World's a Piffling Blurry is one of the improve musician/concert docs in recent memory.

No, Apple TV Plus tin't compete with Netflix or Disney Plus when it comes to quantity. But I'd put it up in that location with HBO Max in terms of quality. With this summer'southward new projects, Apple TV Plus has finally arrived at the point that I wasn't certain information technology could reach — it's worth paying for. I've deleted my calendar reminder to abolish.

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Kelly is a senior writer covering streaming media for Tom'southward Guide, and so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment author for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she'south not watching Tv and movies for work, she's watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.