In a rarity for Apple's streaming service, users will be able to purchase bundled Apple TV and Peacock subscriptions at a discount starting October 20.
The Apple TV streaming service itself (which was called Apple TV+ until Monday) is $13 per month. NBCUniversal's Peacock starts at $8 per month with ads and $11 per month without ads. In the upcoming package, people will be able to subscribe to both products for $15 or $20 a month, depending on whether Peacock has ads or not (Apple TV has never had ads).
People can purchase packages through Apple or Peacock websites and apps.
Apple and NBCUniversal hope to increase subscriptions with this package. In a statement, Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple TV, Apple Music, Sports and Beats, said he believes the package will help bring Apple TV content “to more viewers in more places.”
Packages which bundle more than one streaming service at a shared discount, have become a popular tool for streaming providers trying to limit cancellations. The idea is that people are less likely to cancel a streaming subscription if it's tied to another streaming service or product, such as a cellular service.
However, Apple has mostly was a deterrent. It previously offered a package with Apple TV at full price, plus Showtime and Paramount+ (then called CBS All Access) at no extra cost. But these additions, especially at the time, could be considered more cable-centric compared to the streaming package announced today.
Apple will also make select Apple Originals content available to watch with a Peacock subscription. The ad says:
At launch, Peacock subscribers will be able to enjoy up to three episodes of the series. Stick, Slow Horses, Silo, Pirates, Foundation, Palm RoyaleAnd Prehistoric planet Free with Apple TV, and Apple TV app users can watch up to three episodes “Law and Order”, “Bel Air”, “Twisted Metal”, “Love Island Games”, “Happiness Place”, “The Hunt”, And Real Housewives of Miami from Peacock.
Additionally, people who subscribe to Apple One's Family or Premier plans can get Peacock's most expensive subscription, which adds offline downloads to the ad-free tier and typically costs $17 per month, for about $11 per month (“35 percent off,” according to the ad). The discount marks the first time Apple has offered Apple One subscribers a deal on a non-Apple product, suggesting Apple's renewed desire to partner with rivals to help its services business.
