United Airlines has announced a partnership with Apple TV+ to show free television shows on the seatback entertainment system of United flights. There’s no catch to it, although it’s important to know that United and Apple aren’t offering free rein over Apple TV+’s entire catalog. Not by a long shot.
Not every show on Apple TV+ will be available to stream. Even for the Apple Originals shows that are included in this deal, you’ll only get limited access. Apple isn’t quite throwing open the gates entirely.
rules of engagement
There’s no downside to a passenger on a United flight for having this offer. And it is a good offer. If you’re going to be paying to fly on a legacy airline, you may as well get to watch the good stuff for free.
United calls out Severance, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, and Silo by name, saying that entire first seasons are now playing on United flights. United will add The Morning Show and Bad Sisters this September; presumably, these will be entire first seasons, too.
With United’s press release making a point to specify that first seasons would be available in their entirety for streaming, it all but implies that subsequent seasons won’t be available. These are appetizers, not entrées.
It’s smart business for Apple. Those who are already on subsequent seasons of Apple Originals TV shows have already swallowed the bait and have Apple TV+’s hook in their cheek.
This move is meant to get people newly invested in shows that they can’t possibly finish on even the longest cross-country or transoceanic flight, and so they’d have to subscribe to Apple TV+ when they land to watch the rest once they’re hooked.
It’s not devious. Not in a bad way. It’s like those little cups of orange chicken the Chinese restaurants hand out in the mall. Everyone knows the point of the game.
Every month, for an unspecified duration of time, United will keep adding new seasons and “content,” eventually pushing the total number of included TV show episodes, feature documentaries, and movies past 250. Whether it’ll someday include second (or subsequent) seasons, United doesn’t say.
There don’t appear to be any particular restrictions, as you can stream on both domestic and international flights that have in-flight entertainment. You can also stream in the United app on your smartphones and tablets, if you prefer.
For when you inevitably get hooked on some of the better shows that Apple TV+ screens, you’ll need a subscription to feed your addiction. Check out Apple TV+ subscription pricing below.
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