Apple TV Plus will soon be able to broadcast classic movies and TV shows

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• Apple TV Plus will soon be able to broadcast classic movies and TV shows

Apple TV Plus could soon start streaming older TV shows and movies, according to a new report. Bloomberg says Apple has licensed certain shows and movies in private discussions with Hollywood content owners. Apple TV Plus launched in November and was based entirely on original programming. It would represent a change of direction for Apple, but not an undesirable one. Bloomberg sources say Apple has yet to buy blockbusters or major franchises for the service. The service will apparently always focus on original content. Apple TV Plus has had its fair share of decent original shows, like the award-nominated The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell. But the unarchived release of shows to watch from day one suggested a bit of a misconception about the appeal of streaming services. Netflix, after all, was built on content licensed from major studios for years before it started making original programming. Disney Plus managed to throw quite a stir out the door as it came with a huge archive of movies that its audience already loved. Apple TV Plus lacked it, but its low price ($4.99 / £4.99) made it a pretty harmless proposition, and Apple device owners got a year of service for free. However, we'd argue that it's currently less essential than pricier competitors like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu, all of which offer a mix of great originals and archives that we actually like to watch. It also didn't help that Apple TV still isn't available to download on PS4 or other game consoles.

Why would Apple TV Plus benefit from old shows and movies?

This year, Apple TV Plus has released a number of great original shows. They include Defending Jacob, a family/crime drama with Chris Evans, the parenting comedy Trying with Rafe Spall, and a reboot of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories anthology. Our highlight, however, is Mythic Quest, a game development-themed comedy from the makers of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. However, older programs would give subscribers an excuse to use the service more frequently. Classic TV series can be like comfort food that you enjoy over and over again, which is why so many of the heavy hitters of the past few decades are paying huge licensing fees. It's unclear what great classic shows Apple has left for its service. The likes of The Simpsons, Seinfeld, The Office, South Park, and Friends have been auctioned off to various streaming services exclusively in recent years. However, the movies could have more potential. In 2017, it was reported that Apple was competing for the distribution rights to the James Bond franchise (Universal won). This is the kind of acquisition that would have a real impact, as Bond doesn't have a permanent broadcast house. Regardless of Apple's fate, more options can only be a good thing for the future of its streaming service.