Apple TV+ ‘will offer huge price cuts to millions’ according to leak – but there’s a big downside if you agree to discounts

APPLE is looking for a cheaper subscription tier for its flagship streaming service – but that comes with a significant trade-off.

The streaming giant took steps at the U.S and the United Kingdom as it considers including a plan supported by announcements about Litter TV+.

Competitors like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video have already taken the leap.

Ad-supported streaming has also been adopted by free streamers like Roku, who have made it their bread and butter.

The cost of a subscription is offset by advertisements served before and during the content.

And while this means users can stream for free or significantly cheaper, the constant interruptions can be a significant downside.

However, Apple is looking for every possible way to attract customers as its streaming service struggles to turn a profit.

As reported by The telegraphthe tech giant is rumored to have met with the UK’s Broadcaster’s Audience Research Board.

The company is reportedly researching data collection techniques to monitor advertising results – signs that an ad-supported layer is on the way.

The tech giant held similar discussions with ratings organizations in the United States two years ago.

The most telling clue was the hiring in March of Joseph Cady, a former advertising executive with an extensive resume.

Prior to his departure, the 14-year NBCUniversal veteran served as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships.

Cady was just the latest in a series of advertising hires, all pointing to changes on the horizon.

The company hired former Peacock and FanDuel employees and has been building its advertising team since last year.

There are other signs too. Litter included limited advertising at live sporting events, such as last year’s Major League Soccer coverage.

The tech giant is simultaneously reducing its spending on original content after shelling out more than $20 billion.

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It is still unclear how much money Litter TV+ generates, but is not estimated to offset the licensing and production costs.

Apple has heavily promoted extended free trials for the service since its inception in November 2019.

Customers who purchased an Apple device that year and in subsequent years received at least a full year of Apple TV+ with their purchase.

Apple later shortened the standard trial duration to three months and started bleeding customers.

Users can now sign up online for a seven-day free trial. After a week, it will cost $9.99 per month, up from $6.99 per month.

Prices soared in October, with the cost of an annual subscription jumping from $69 per year to $99 per year.