With the plethora of streaming services I use, I saved myself Apple TV+ for a long time. But then various self-produced series of the operator could arouse my interest. I took out a subscription – and I could have left it with the free trial week. Unfortunately, Apple TV+ did not convince me.
Netflix, RTL+ and Amazon Prime Video – actually, these three give me enough content to keep me entertained. But then I was suddenly in corona quarantine, so I needed more. An opportunity to do the test and take out a (trial) subscription with Apple TV+. Luckily for me, setup was a breeze. What followed was a roller coaster ride of emotions.
Mood 1: great enthusiasm
okay wow The picture. The actors! Apple TV + is a completely different number than e.g. B. Netflix with its disdainful in-house productions. The picture is pin sharp and the sound quality is excellent. A big plus: the many different languages and options for subtitles. The (free) test week would definitely not stay the same; especially AppleTV+ is relatively inexpensive at EUR 4.99 per month. I’ll definitely treat myself to one.
I spent my first days tied to the couch with “The Morning Show”, the following ones with the lovable “Ted Lasso”. Those were actually the main series that were recommended to me. Check!
Mood 2: medium enthusiasm
What annoyed me a bit all the time: every time a new episode started, I had to go into the language settings and turn off the subtitles again. German subtitles just kept appearing, even if I had never set them. Is that because I’m watching the app on my Fire TV Stick (4K)?
Also interesting: Is the Fire TV Stick worth it without an Amazon Prime subscription?
As I browsed the content, I kept noticing the familiar faces of high profile actors. After Teddy I might watch “Severance” or “Suspicion”, I thought. But none of them really caught my eye. Unfortunately, it was always the same few series that were displayed to me, even if I really combed through the app. My preliminary test verdict for the selection: semi.
Mood 3: disappointment
In such a corona quarantine, series and films also come to mind that you could watch as a test for irrigation. Something that doesn’t strain. Maybe I would z. B. “OC California” can be fun again – I loved it as a teenager and RTL+ is currently showing it in German. Apparently Apple TV+ has it too, in English. But oha, here you would have to pay a whopping 19.99 euros for a season!
Then, when I wanted to select another movie that was displayed to me in the Fire TV main menu, I understood what was wrong here. In the user interface, the app apparently mixes content that is included with Apple TV + and the regular iTunes offer. So you have to pay extra for a lot of it.
Conclusion: Apple TV+ failed my test
Apple TV+ is certainly way ahead of the competition in terms of quality. I find the selection of content too small for this and paired with the suboptimal operation, I often got frustrated. On its own, 4.99 euros doesn’t hurt, in other words: You could subscribe to the streaming service and take a look occasionally. I haven’t caught myself on Apple TV+ for weeks though, so I’ll be canceling my subscription.
Here we explain how easy it is to cancel your subscription to Apple TV+.