Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+… The streaming giants have all been tempted by subscriptions with ads when content is launched and during playback. If Apple TV+ is today one of the rare streaming services not to add ads to its content, this should not last much longer. The Cupertino firm has approached several advertising agencies to add ads to a cheaper subscription for Apple TV+.
Ads are taking over the streaming industry and Apple TV+ will not be spared
Millions of us have abandoned live TV channels, partly because of the ubiquitous advertising. This mass migration to streaming platforms and on-demand services has reflected our desire for a more personalized and uninterrupted viewing experience. However, that time has changed with Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ recently deciding to welcome commercials into some of their offerings.
For a streaming platform, offering a subscription with ads is a good compromise to offer lower prices, attract a mass of new people looking for attractive prices and generate additional revenue without making the user pay more. Apple has understood that its competitors have chosen the right formula, which is why the Cupertino firm is currently discussing with an advertising agency to bring ads to Apple TV+.
In a recent report byAppleInsiderwe learn that Apple is (really) very interested in advertising for its streaming service. The Californian giant is currently in discussions with a British agency specializing in advertising to offer a cheaper Apple TV+ subscription with advertising.
This agency which is called the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) has a spectacular experience (over 40 years) in the world of advertising and audience measurement in the United Kingdom.
A new meeting suggests that Apple is preparing to offer an ad-supported tier to Apple TV+. There were similar meetings with ratings organizations in the US in 2022, but so far nothing has come of it.
The discussions between the two parties have so far focused mainly on the technical side and data collection. Apple wants at all costs that the privacy of Apple TV+ subscribers is optimal, the company wants additional revenue for its streaming business, but not at the expense of a lack of confidentiality that would betray its internal policy.
For now, the only ads in Apple content on the Apple TV app are for Major League Soccer (MLS) sports matches. The Californian giant adds ad spots during half-time of matches to fill the anticipation for the players to return to the field.
At the moment, it is impossible to say how soon the ads will be added to Apple TV+ or how much the subscription that will include ads will cost. Details will come soon, we just hope that the amount of ads per hour will not be abusive, just like the price of the subscription.