This streaming platform has better TV shows than Netflix, but nobody watches them

Apple TV+ is looking to change its approach when it comes to spending money on its titles, as low viewership numbers confirm it’s still behind Netflix.

When it comes to critical success, Apple TV+ has spent its fair share in the limelight as series like The Morning Show and Severance continue to be adored by the public.

However, its number of awards has not translated into bigger viewership numbers, as Bloomberg reported the streaming platform “generates less viewing in one month than Netflix does in one day [as it] attracts just 0.2% of TV viewing in the US.”

Because of these figures, Apple services executive Eddy Cue met with studio chiefs Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht to come up with a plan to stop overspending on their projects.

Apple TV+

While Netflix still buys most of the titles on the market, Apple TV+ outspends them by a wide margin on individual projects. For example, the service spent a combined $500 million on the movies Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, and Argylle.

And Severance Season 2 reportedly cost $20 million per episode, while The Morning Show spent $50 million on its cast alone.

“Subscriber growth has been weak, with the platform’s original content a fraction of what rivals offer,” Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Geetha Ranganathan and Kevin Near wrote in a July 2024 memo.

Compared to its peers, Apple TV+ is seen as the biggest spender as Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros. have been cutting back to reduce their losses. Netflix almost cut its spending, but the platform still holds the crown for the most profitable streaming service.

Apple TV+ ‘s race to catch up to Netflix may be a long one, as it currently has 277.7 million subscribers and is used by more than 600 million people across the globe.

For more, check out our guide to TV shows streaming this month, and find out what new movies you should be watching.