ViacomCBS vaguely confirms Paramount+ will be available through Apple TV Channels

As CBS All Access rebrands to Paramount+, there have been questions about the fate of integration with Apple TV Channels. A new promo video being shown to CBS All Access users confirms that Paramount+ will be available through Apple TV Channels, but the fate of the bundle with Apple TV+ and Showtime is still unclear.

As spotted by 9to5Mac reader MadXD on Twitter, CBS All Access is running a promo video regarding the transition to Paramount+. The video says:

CBS All Access is becoming Paramount+ on March 4. But as a CBS All Access subscriber, you don’t have to do a thing. You’ll have full access to Paramount+ via your existing Apple TV Channels subscription.

This confirms that existing CBS All Access subscribers will be able to keep accessing content through Paramount+ with Apple TV Channels, rather than having to download a separate Paramount+ app from the App Store. It also seems that Paramount+ will be available to new subscribers via Apple TV Channels as well, but that has not be explicit confirmed just yet.

One important thing to note here is that when HBO Max launched last year, the HBO Max app allowed users to sign with their Apple TV Channels subscription, even though the service itself was not available through Apple TV Channels. This could be what Paramount+ is referring to, but the wording of “you don’t have to do a thing” implies users will be able to watch directly in the TV app.

Apple TV Channels are streaming services that you can buy and stream directly in the TV app. All billing is handled through Apple itself and the video is hosted by Apple. It’s seen as a more elegant solution for many Apple users who don’t want to download a dedicated app for each service.

Up until earlier this month, Apple offered a bundle of Apple TV+, CBS All Access, and Showtime for $10 per month. Apple launched this bundle just five months ago in August, and its fate now hangs in balance amid the Paramount+ transition.

As we reported last week, the TV app no longer presents this bundle as an option for new subscribers, but current subscribers to the bundle can still access the service.

It’s possible that once Paramount+ launches to the public, the Apple TV+ and Showtime bundle will reappear for new subscribers. We’ll be sure to keep you updated when Paramount+ debuts on March 4.

• CBS and Showtime bundle no longer available through Apple TV app, ahead of Paramount+ launch
• Older Apple TV losing CBS All Access channel next month, AirPlay suggested