Apple TV+ Needs a Creator-Focused Back Catalog to Justify Its Price Hike

Apple recently announced another price increase for Apple TV+, raising the monthly subscription to $12.99. That’s the third price increase in six years, starting at $4.99/month in 2019, moving to $6.99 in 2022, $9.99 in 2023, and now this.

Understandably, the reactions have been overwhelmingly adverse. Some point out that Apple TV+ still has an Originals-only library, whereas competitors boast massive back catalogs. Netflix, for example, has roughly 6,000 titles in its U.S. library, while HBO Max has thousands of licensed films and series. In contrast, Apple TV+ has fewer than 300 titles, most of which are originals. 

Others have suggested ways to soften the blow, such as bundling with Apple One, switching to Apple TV+’s $99 annual plan, or trying to snag a short-term discount by attempting to cancel Apple TV+ to trigger a $5.99/month retention offer for the next two months.

However, none of these solutions address the bigger and smarter play that Apple should make: one that benefits subscribers, its creators, and Apple itself.

Betting Big on Creators

Apple has built Apple TV+ around Hollywood’s biggest talent. Showrunners, directors, and production companies have exclusive deals to make new series and films for the service. Why not extend that support by sublicensing their past work as well?

Take Bill Lawrence, for example. If you finish Shrinking season two and want to watch more of his work, your options are scattered. You can stay on Apple TV+ to watch Ted Lasso (which you’ve probably already seen if you’re watching Shrinking) or Bad Monkey, but you’ll need to open Peacock, Disney+, or Hulu for Scrubs, and HBO Max for Clone High. That’s not even accounting for Jason Segel or Brett Goldstein’s creative work on Shrinking.

Instead of juggling streaming services, imagine being able to stay on Apple TV+ and transition from Shrinking to Scrubs to Clone High as seamlessly as watching any other Apple Original show or movie. That’s the power of a creator-focused back catalog: it keeps subscribers engaged, helps creators showcase their whole body of work, and positions Apple as the home for talent.

A Precedent Already Exists

This isn’t as radical as it may sound. Apple has collaborated with major studios before, typically in two distinct ways. 

First, partnerships for new releases. 

In its six years, Apple TV+ has partnered with Sony Pictures on Greyhound, A24 on films like On the Rocks, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and Highest 2 Lowest, Paramount on Killers of the Flower Moon, Universal on Argylle, and Warner Bros. on F1. These are deals where Apple buys distribution or co-finances the rights for brand-new movies.

Second, licensing existing libraries.

Apple has also dipped into catalog licensing. In 2020, it acquired the rights to Fraggle Rock and secured an exclusive streaming deal for the Peanuts franchise, along with the rights to create new TV shows, movies, shorts, and specials for these franchises.

More recently, in March 2024, Apple introduced a “Great Movies” collection, featuring more than 50 well-known films for a limited time. These weren’t small movies, either. These were blockbusters like Argo, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Gravity, Jurassic World, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Mean Girls, Saving Private Ryan, Spider-Man, Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Zodiac.

That experiment only lasted for a month or two. However, it has proven that Apple is willing to work with studios like Warner Bros., Paramount, Sony, Disney, Lionsgate, and Universal to expand its library.

Why It Makes Business Sense

Yes, licensing will cost Apple money. However, with Apple reporting $94 billion in revenue for its fiscal Q3 2025, Apple can clearly afford the rights to license these shows and movies. More importantly, it might be cheaper than endlessly throwing money at creators to develop brand-new Originals for Apple TV+.

Beyond that, building a back catalog of titles featuring the service’s current creators has the upside of retention. Every streaming service deals with churn, and the top reason people cancel is the feeling that they have “nothing to watch.” Giving subscribers access to a creator’s back catalog while they’re waiting for a new season keeps them engaged and subscribed.

And unlike a random grab-bag of licensed content that could muddy Apple’s brand, this approach reinforces what Apple already stands for: betting big on the people behind the shows and movies we love.

The Bottom Line

Apple TV+ has built an impressive roster of Originals. However, if Apple wants to justify a $12.99 monthly price tag and hopes to compete with Netflix or Disney’s ever-growing number of streaming services, it needs a substantial back catalog.

Sublicensing the past work of its creators offers a win on all sides of the equation. Subscribers get more to watch without having to leave Apple’s ecosystem. Creators get more exposure to their body of work. Apple gets stronger retention, higher perceived value, and fewer complaints about Apple TV+’s pricing model.

In short, Apple doesn’t simply need to throw money at the problem. The smartest move Apple can make isn’t raising prices or chasing the next big hit. It’s betting on the creators it already trusts, and letting their past work prove why Apple TV+ is worth the price.