Apple
- Apple TV+ is now called Apple TV, not to be confused with its app or hardware device.
- Branding experts applauded the rebrand as Apple’s streaming service matures.
- “When a brand becomes iconic, simplicity is the ultimate flex,” one creative director said.
Are you ready to watch Apple TV on your Apple TV through the Apple TV app?
Apple’s paid streaming service has ditched its plus sign and is now called Apple TV, rather than Apple TV+. The tech giant quietly announced this rebrand in a press release about the streaming release date for “F1: The Movie.”
Apple TV is also the name of the TV app that’s preinstalled on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. And Apple’s hardware device, similar to a Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick, is known as Apple TV as well, though the official name of its current iteration is Apple TV 4K.
Despite the overlap, branding experts told Business Insider that they didn’t find the rebrand confusing. In fact, they said it was a smart move by Apple.
“When a brand becomes iconic, simplicity is the ultimate flex,” said Matt Sia, the executive creative director at design services firm Pearlfisher.
Sia said rebranding the service signaled confidence, authority, and maturity.
“Apple’s suggesting now that it no longer needs the ‘+’ to prove that it’s streaming,” Sia said.
Apple has made critically acclaimed TV shows and movies, such as the Emmy-winning shows “Severance” and “The Studio,” although it lags behind rivals like Netflix and Disney in terms of viewership and doesn’t rank on Nielsen’s streaming charts.
Apple said rebranding from Apple TV+ to Apple TV is part of its streamer’s “vibrant new identity,” though it’s unclear if the streamer will undergo any other changes.
Experts say no one will miss the plus
Chris Rosica, who runs public relations firm Rosica Communications, said he didn’t think “anyone’s going to miss the plus.”
Ditching the plus could also help Apple capitalize on the strength of its globally recognized brand, said Nick Cooper, the global VP of strategy and innovation at design firm Landor.
“Bringing Apple TV closer to the Apple master brand is likely to be a key benefit in its competition against other heavyweight brands,” Cooper said.
Michelle Edelman, the CEO and chief strategy officer at creative marketing agency Petermayer, sees the rebrand as aligning with what many consumers already call the service.
“Let’s be honest, Apple TV never needed the ‘+’ in its name,” Edelman said.
Not everyone believes the rebrand will make a significant difference, however.
“Striving for simplicity is always great — but does it create any clarity or value for the consumer, who at this point has more loyalty to the IP than the service?” said Jesse Unger, the cofounder of marketing consultancy Significant.
Apple is far from the first streamer to change its name. HBO Max has rebranded multiple times, and ESPN+ is now known as ESPN Select. The tech giant also followed in its rivals’ footsteps by hiking prices this summer, shortly after Peacock raised its own subscription fee.
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