Apple is reevaluating its approach to content creation for Apple TV+, as the company acknowledges its significant financial outlay on original programming—totaling $20 billion—has not yielded the desired results in viewership. According to reports, Apple executive Eddy Cue has been in discussions with studio heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht to implement budgetary controls on future projects.
Previously, Apple has invested heavily in marquee productions, such as the $250 million miniseries “Masters of Air,” which failed to generate substantial interest. Additionally, the company has spent over $500 million on films from renowned directors including Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, and Matthew Vaughn. Despite the extravagant investments, Apple TV+ captures only 0.2% of television viewership in the U.S., illustrating a stark contrast to rivals like Netflix, which achieves in just under a day what Apple TV+ manages to secure in a month.
Apple’s continued struggles to increase subscriber numbers have not raised alarm within the company, as streaming services are not central to its primary business model. However, there are signs that the era of unrestrained spending may be coming to an end, particularly as Apple has shown reluctance to renew certain series for third seasons.
Notably, Apple TV+ remains the only major streaming platform without an advertising tier—an aspect that may change soon following the recruitment of Joseph Cady, an advertising executive from NBCUniversal.
In a rapidly evolving media landscape, this strategic pivot could enable Apple to refine its offerings, focus on quality over quantity, and better engage audiences. As the company adapts its strategies, there is hope that it can foster growth in viewership and subscriber rates by honing in on content that resonates more effectively with its audience.