Apple reportedly told a union it had fewer than 20 million TV + subscribers in July

Apple TV + reportedly had fewer than 20 million subscribers in July, according to the International Alliance of Theater Stage Employees (IATSE).

While Apple has never publicly disclosed details of TV + subscribers, the TV and film workers union says it learned of this figure from Apple because it allowed the company to pay production crews lower than most broadcasters due to their comparatively lower subscriber count. For context, Netflix had 209 million subscribers and Disney + had 116 million in the second quarter of 2021.

The IATSE is raising this because tens of thousands of its union members could leave their jobs as part of a strike to increase wages. What CNBC It notes that Apple pays its TV + production teams discounted rates despite being the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, and highlights some of the issues the IATSE is speaking out against. CNBC reports that an Apple spokesperson declined to comment on TV + subscribers, but said the company’s rates are in line with major streaming services.

So it’s unclear how the reported subscriber count of 20 million-something compares to Apple’s own internal projections for TV +. It is also unknown how the launch of notable programs like Ted lasso Season 2 (July 23), The Morning Show Season 2 (September 17) and Foundation (Sep 24) may have contributed to Apple TV + subscriber growth.

Image Credit: Apple

Via: CNBC


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