Apple TV (streaming service): History and Key Facts

Apple TV, formerly known as Apple TV+, is a subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. Its programming arm is Apple Studios. The service was announced during the Apple Special Event of March 2019. It can be accessed through Apple's website and through the Apple TV app. Apple TV has over 45 million paid memberships. The service was rebranded in late 2025, removing the + from "Apple TV".

Apple TV initially experienced poor growth and low subscriber numbers relative to other competing services during its first full year in 2020. Since then, the service has become the home to more critically acclaimed content: between September 2021 and March 2022, Apple TV netted a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series with Ted Lasso and the Academy Award for Best Picture with CODA, the first Best Picture win for a film distributed by a streaming service. Apple TV (along with the simultaneously announced a-la-carte premium-video subscription aggregation service Apple TV app) is part of a concerted effort by Apple to expand its service revenues.

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