What will it take for Apple TV+ to finally be a hit?

Apple TV+ launched in 2019, yet in those five years it’s barely moved the needle in becoming a major streaming player. TV+ has hit series like Ted Lasso, Severance, and Silo. It has critically successful movies like CODA and Killers of the Flower Moon. But for all the quality content on the service, it still has nowhere near the following of Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, or even Max or Peacock. So what’s the fix? What will it take for Apple TV+ to break through and finally become a hit?

TV+ needs to rebrand

Apple TV+ has never been the best name, but five years have proven that it’s also a source of unnecessary confusion.

It’s time for TV+ to rebrand.

Tell me this isn’t confusing: Apple TV+ is a separate product from the Apple TV app and also the Apple TV 4K hardware.

Apple TV+ is a streaming service. But you access it from inside the Apple TV app. In this app you’ll also find other streaming services and non-TV+ movies/shows for rent and purchase using the ‘Apple TV’ branding. The Apple TV app can be accessed through an Apple TV 4K—but it also doesn’t require an Apple TV 4K, you can use any smart TV, streaming dongle, etc.

No amount of marketing trying to explain the above paragraph is worth it.

The TV+ moniker is confusing. It will always be confusing.

The only way to eliminate that confusion is with a rebranding.

Apple can change the name of TV+, or it can change the names of the Apple TV app and Apple TV 4K to not use the words ‘Apple TV.’

Rebranding TV+ is the better move.

Removing ‘Apple’ from the streamer’s name

Besides eliminating the confusion regarding Apple’s various ‘TV’ products, rebranding TV+ would also eliminate confusion about who TV+ is for.

Right now, keeping ‘Apple’ in the name implies that TV+ is a service for ‘Apple users.’

The lack of an Android app (for now) means that, in some ways, it is.

But even after Apple eventually debuts an Android app, the name ‘Apple’ will continue to be a problem.

In the US, I’ve observed that non-Apple users often have some level of animosity toward Apple. And understandably so.

Android users don’t appreciate being derided by friends and family as ‘green bubble’ people.

To choose an Android device, or to a lesser extent a PC, can feel like you’re going against the masses—which isn’t always very comfortable.

And this discomfort from being a ‘non-Apple person’ can lead to negative associations with Apple as a brand.

So if you do use an Android phone, a PC, a Roku or Amazon Fire TV, the brand ‘Apple TV+’ can inadvertently put you off.

But even if that’s not the case, even if you hold no negative feelings toward Apple, the name ‘Apple TV+’ still sounds like a streaming service for ‘Apple people.’ No amount of explanation will ever solve that.

I won’t make name suggestions, as Apple can hire a team to handle that. But something short, simple, and one word would do—think Netflix, Max, Peacock, etc.

Rebrands are costly, not just financially but also in market awareness. But Apple TV+ is already struggling in awareness, so now’s the time to do it.

The rebranded TV+ needs its own dedicated app

Beyond simply rebranding to a name that doesn’t use ‘Apple’ in it, the rebranded TV+ service needs its own dedicated app.

Sending users to the Apple TV app to access this streamer would defeat the main purpose of the rebranding.

Apple’s streaming service needs a new name, and a new app that only contains that service’s own content.

When people open Netflix, they know that anything they find can be watched with a Netflix subscription.

Apple needs that kind of simplicity in its own streamer’s app.

Right now, far too often users get confused by the Apple TV app. They assume that all the shows and movies in the app are accessible with a TV+ subscription. And they’re not. Which can be not only confusing but also very frustrating.

Apple has positioned the TV app as an aggregator of content from various services. Its unified Up Next queue is a great feature, and I don’t want it to go away. But Apple needs a simpler, more streamlined app to send its subscribers to.

I believe the TV app should still exist, and Apple’s streaming service should be available within it. But that service also needs its own dedicated app.

Let the people who want an aggregator use the TV app, while everyone else can just use Apple’s standalone streaming service app.

A new foundation for Apple TV+

Apple is already doing so many of the right things to make TV+ a hit. It produces great content, by and large. It’s extremely well funded. Those are two key pillars for a winning service.

But the TV+ branding, and the confusing TV app, have been obstacles in the path of Apple finding genuine success.

The company’s always looking for more services revenue, and right now customers are frustrated by the constant rising prices from competing options. Apple has a unique opportunity to win customers over.

Rebrand, go on a marketing blitz, push the message of ‘no ads, only $9.99,’ and give everyone a free 7-day trial. It’ll be a fresh start, and unlike when TV+ first launched, users will find a ton of compelling content to enjoy.

With a new name, a new app, the same affordable price, and a strong marketing push, Apple could finally make its streaming service a true hit.

What do you think Apple TV+ needs to be a hit? Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments.