Apple TV+ wasn’t built to chase trends or simply capitalize on the streaming boom. According to CEO Tim Cook, the service was created with a clear and focused mission: to tell great stories and build a meaningful, sustainable business. Unlike many competitors that prioritize content quantity, Apple chose to emphasize quality and originality from the beginning.
Since its 2019 launch, Apple TV+ has grown into a distinctive streaming service, known for its high production values and selective programming. This year marks a turning point. With the launch of its most ambitious film yet, F1: The Movie, starring Brad Pitt and produced in part by Lewis Hamilton. Apple is signaling its arrival in the mainstream of global entertainment.
A Purpose Beyond iPhone Sales
Apple executives are aware of speculation that Apple TV+ exists primarily to boost sales of the company’s hardware. Tim Cook rejects that assumption outright. “I don’t have it in my mind that I’m going to sell more iPhones because of it,” he says. “I think about it as a business.” The goal, according to Cook, is to leverage Apple’s strengths including technology, design, and user experience and apply them to storytelling.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s head of services, echoed this vision. He emphasized that while Apple always valued art, it never initially planned to produce movies or shows. However, as the streaming market shifted toward quantity, Apple saw an opening to stand apart. “We thought there was an opening for us, if we really focused on high quality,” Cue explained.
Original Content, Intentional Strategy
When Apple TV+ launched, it surprised the industry by offering no back catalog, only original programming. This was a deliberate choice. “We elected not to go out and procure a catalog,” Cook said. “It didn’t feel like Apple at the end of the day.” Instead, Apple focused its resources on creating content it could fully back, pouring passion and precision into each project.
That approach has taken time to mature. Cook and Cue both noted that 2025 represents a milestone: the first full year where Apple TV+ content hasn’t been disrupted by COVID-19 or industry strikes. “We’re at the point where our slate hasn’t been impacted by the strikes or by COVID,” Cue stated.
According to Variety, Apple programming chief Jamie Erlicht added, “Now we’ve got this rhythm. We can put new things out every single week… We’ve never felt better.”