Apple TV dropped the “plus” as streamers keep pulling back on originals
After the spray-and-pray approach led to a wave of cancellations, Hollywood is settling into an era of just making fewer shows.
Apple just quietly dropped the plus sign from its streaming service, Apple TV+. In a Monday announcement about the upcoming streaming debut of “F1: The Movie,” the tech giant casually slipped in a single line:
“Apple TV+ is now simply Apple TV, with a vibrant new identity.”
Whether it’s a sign that Apple may soon add an ad-supported tier — Apple TV remains the only major streamer without one — or simply a brand refresh, the makeover lands as the “peak TV era” is officially over.
According to data from Luminate, series cancellation rates soared past 20% across almost every major platform — and even 40% for some — in 2023, marking an “inflection point” for Hollywood.
Rates of cancellations have since eased, but that doesn’t mean streamers have suddenly grown more generous; they’re just making fewer shows to begin with. Per Ampere Analysis, scripted TV commissions from six major global platforms, including Apple, Amazon, and Netflix, fell 24% year over year in the first half of 2025.
From plus to less
That could explain why Apple decided to drop the plus sign, once a symbol of something extra, in an industry that’s scaling back — reversing years of billion-dollar investments in original shows, low prices, and ad-free promises. Indeed, Apple TV’s rebrand comes just months after it raised its monthly subscription fee by 30% in August.
