Apple is shortening the length of the Apple TV+ free trial, from a full year to three months, effective July 1.
Apple TV+ is the company’s premium TV streaming service, with a focus on original programming. It recently passed 40 million users, and boasts a number of hit shows and movies, including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Mythic Quest and Tom Hanks’ Greyhound.
Until now, Apple has included a free year subscription with the purchase of a new Mac or iOS device, as well as a new Apple TV. The year-long, complimentary subscription was a way for Apple to boost and retain subscribers as it worked to rolled out its original programming.
First spotted by MacWorld, it appears Apple is reducing the free trial period to three months. On the Apple TV+ marketing page, it says subscribers will received a free year subscription “when you purchase and activate an Apple device before June 30th, 2021.”
In the footnote clarifying the terms, it says: “Eligible devices activated July 1, 2021, or later will qualify for offers of 3 months free Apple TV+. Eligible devices activated on June 30, 2021, or earlier will qualify for offers of 12 months free Apple TV+.”
It remains to be seen how well Apple TV+ will do without a year-long, free subscription artificially propping it up. If the company can continue releasing critically acclaimed programming, however, it just may continuing gaining ground.