Apple TV Plus has been hyping its lineup of original TV shows for the rest of the year, and that's pretty impressive. The reveals are mostly things we already knew, but the tight release schedule shows that the streaming service is getting serious and turning out to be a real contender for Netflix this year. And frankly, it has to be. The timing of this push seems sharp. Apple just cut its free subscription to the service that comes with every new device purchase from one year to three months. Meanwhile, some account holders who have enjoyed free trials since the service's launch in 2019 are now required to pay for the service, as Apple's generous extensions on the trial end this month. In short, it now reduces the reliance on the service for users who are enjoying the streamer because they bought a new Apple device and instead expect consumers to forcefully pay for content. So here's a timeline of what's happening on the TV and movie side of things over the next few months, and we'll explain what each is below if you're unfamiliar:
- July 16: Schmigadoon!
- July 23: Ted Lasso Season 2
- August 13: CODA
- August 20: Truth Be Told Season 2
- August 27: watch season 2
- September 17: The Morning Show Season 2
- September 24: Foundation
- October 22: Invasion
- November 12: The Shrink Next Door
Schmigadoon! is a comedy that is also a parody of musicals, and counts Keegan-Michael Key and Jane Krakowski among its familiar faces. Ted Lasso Season 2 is the year after the heartwarming soccer-focused comedy, quite well timed for the finale of the Euro 2020 tournament. CODA, which stands for "son of deaf adults," is a film about the only child who can hear an otherwise deaf family. Apple reportedly paid around €25 million for the film rights earlier this year. Truth Be Told returns for a second season. In case you missed the first one, this is a true police podcaster turned detective, and it stars Octavia Spencer with Kate Hudson. See is the second season of the science fiction drama Jason Momoa, which is about the last surviving humans who lost their sight. The Morning Show is Apple's flagship news drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and this second season has been a long time coming. Foundation is something we've covered before: it's a big-budget sci-fi drama from producer David S Goyer (Batman Begins), based on the works of Isaac Asimov. Invasion stars the dad from the Jurassic Park movie, Sam Neill, and is an alien invasion from the perspective of different people around the world. Lastly, there's The Shrink Next Door, which reunites host stars Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd, in this dark comedy series that's adapted from a podcast. That should be a lot to see, then. But will people want to pay for it?
Will people pay for Apple TV Plus?
Ted Lasso's release schedule, as many extended trial subscriptions expire, is a smart move by Apple. Several of the service's series have received acclaim, such as The Morning Show or the detailed alternative space drama For All Mankind, but it seems Ted Lasso has reached the next level of cultural shock. It's probably the closest service to Stranger Things or The Mandalorian right now, and it's exactly the kind of series people are likely to pay to access. According to research firm MoffettNathan (via Variety) in a January report, 62% of the service's subscribers were viewing it via the extended free trial. Still, the service's very reasonable price of $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99 means you won't have to break the bank to experience the tastier programs above. However, it's all about the cumulative cost with streaming services and the price you pay to keep track of it all. If you get Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney Plus, for example, do you really want to add an extra $XNUMX per month? Time will tell us. Apple, at the very least, has plenty of money to continue to compete in a crowded market.