Apple is not planning to add an ad-supported tier to its Apple TV streaming platform “at this time,” according to Apple’s head of services Eddy Cue.
Cue’s comments came in an interview with Screen International. When the interviewer asked if Apple had plans for a tier of service that would include ads, he said: “Nothing at this time. Again, I don’t want to say no forever, but there are no plans.”
Cue added that if Apple TV can stay aggressive with its pricing, it’s better for consumers not to have their viewing experience interrupted by ads.
An Apple TV subscription currently costs $12.99 per month. The service launched in 2019 with a $4.99 per month subscription tariff, which increased to $6.99 per month in 2022, and then to $9.99 per month in 2023, and then to the current $12.99 per month pricing level.
While most other popular streaming services, like Netflix and Disney+, have also hiked subscription prices over the years, they offer multiple tiers of service, including ad-supported and lower-priced tiers.