Apple tries to rein in Hollywood spending after years of losses

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple TV+ economics and strategy

  • Several commenters argue Apple TV+ is a “tiny” business relative to Apple, with content spend (~$20B total since launch, ~<$5B/year) not matched by revenue or viewership.
  • Others note Apple can afford long-term losses and may treat TV+ as marketing or a bundle “value add” (Apple One, ISP bundles) rather than a standalone profit center.
  • There is disagreement on whether Apple uses it as a true loss leader; some say this would be unusual for Apple’s culture, others think TV+ is a special case.
  • Reported market share and viewing share are described as very small, raising questions about sustainability despite modest spend vs Netflix/Disney.

Streaming sector and competition

  • Several posts claim the broader streaming model is strained: high content costs, fragmented catalogs, subscription fatigue, and prices approaching or exceeding old cable bundles.
  • Some think Netflix has already “won” on scale and profitability; others say Netflix’s content quality is weaker now, leaving room for challengers with consistently strong shows.

Content quality and positioning

  • Many praise Apple’s sci‑fi and genre output (e.g., Foundation, Silo, Severance, Dark Matter, For All Mankind, Big Door Prize) and say Apple feels like “the new HBO” for nerdy/prestige content.
  • Others find the catalog thin, uneven, or not compelling enough to justify a dedicated subscription.
  • There is debate over the quality and faithfulness of adaptations like Foundation and Silo, and over classic authors vs newer ones.

Platform reach and ecosystem lock‑in

  • Confusion and irritation around Android support: TV+ is widely available on TVs/consoles, but there is no Android phone/tablet app; browser playback is limited (e.g., resolution caps).
  • Some see TV+ as ecosystem glue that raises switching costs; others think Apple’s hardware sales don’t need a loss-leader service.

User experience and technical aspects

  • Experiences diverge sharply by device. On Apple TV hardware and some smart TVs/Chromecast, TV+ is praised as fast, stable, ad‑free, and very high bitrate.
  • On older/cheap Roku devices and in browsers, users report glitches, UI issues, awkward logins, and inconsistent controls.
  • Apple’s higher bitrates are lauded for picture quality but may stress weaker hardware.

Shifts in viewing habits

  • Several report canceling most streamers and shifting attention to YouTube/TikTok/short‑form content.
  • Some see declining interest in traditional TV/film among younger viewers and emptier movie theaters, suggesting long‑term headwinds for Hollywood and subscription streaming.