Katarzyna Petru
Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+) remains true to its strategy — no ads, no licenses, only original productions. The service promises that in 2026 it will be releasing a new series or film almost every week, and among the upcoming premieres will be new seasons of hits such as Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, and Hijack.
7 years and record results
In an interview with Screen International, Eddy Cue, head of Apple services, along with Apple TV producers Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, summarised the first seven years of the platform. Cue admitted that viewership and the number of viewers are now at an all-time high for the service.
“The numbers are rising, engagement is growing, and it’s all thanks to how much we’ve ramped up production. We knew it would take time to get to this point” – Cue said.
ChooseTV launched in November 2019 with just a few original titles and no licenses — which still distinguishes the platform from Netflix, Prime Video, or Disney+ today.
Cinema films? “We’ll see”
In recent years, Apple has tested both cinema and streaming releases. F1 The Movie turned out to be a success, but Argylle completely flopped. Nevertheless, Erlicht emphasised that Apple is not giving up on cinema distribution, and each production will be evaluated individually.
No ads – at least for now
While the competition (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video) has introduced cheaper plans with ads, Apple is going in the opposite direction.
"We have no such plans. Never say never, but today we don’t see the point. We prefer to stick to a fair price and let viewers enjoy content without interruptions" – Cue said.
The subscription price for Apple TV+ has increased from $5 to $13 a month (about 55 zł) since its launch, but all productions are offered in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos sound.
What Awaits Us in 2026
Cue denies rumours of budget cuts. On the contrary — Apple is investing in new titles, focusing on quality over quantity. Van Amburg revealed that in 2026, almost 50 original titles will debut on the platform. Among them:
Greyhound 2 with Tom Hanks
Outcome with Keanu Reeves and Cameron Diaz
The Family Plan 2
Ted Lasso – new season
For All Mankind and spin-off Star City
The Morning Show – return of the stars
Hijack – season 2
Slow Horses – continuation
Pluribus – new series from the creator of Breaking Bad
Down Cemetery Road with Emma Thompson
And this is just the beginning. A UFO film directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, F1 The Movie) is also in production, as well as another project from Jerry Bruckheimer – Razorblade Tears.
Apple does not compromise. No ads, no buying other people's libraries, no cheap tricks. It is putting everything on original, polished productions. And if Eddy Cue is to be believed, 2026 is set to be the biggest year in Apple TV history.
