Apple TV, Apple TV, Apple TV, and Apple TV
Buried in its announcement about “F1: The Movie” making its streaming debut on December 12, Apple has also announced that Apple TV+ is being rebranded as simply Apple TV.
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Apple of course offers its set-top box hardware under the Apple TV name while also offering the Apple TV app across various platforms as a hub for Apple TV + and other content. As a result, offering Apple’s streaming service itself under the same name may lead to some confusion, and the reason for the change is unclear.
lol so I can watch Apple TV on the Apple TV app on Apple TV
No normal person ever referred to it as “Apple TV+”. Most people just called it Apple TV, and now that’s what it is called. Way better.
I thought “Apple TV+” made sense in that there are other “+” services like Disney+ and Apple News+. But, as with iCloud+, I don’t think the name really caught on. People just call them “Apple TV” and “iCloud” and then maybe mention that they’re subscribed or which plan they have.
Like, if you’re telling someone how much you enjoy Slow Horses and they ask how to watch it, it’s more natural and conversational to just say “It’s on Apple TV”. That’s what most people say.
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But right there in Apple’s own “About Apple TV” description, you see just how overused “Apple TV” now is. You can watch Apple TV in Apple TV on Apple TV — the paid service in the free app on the set-top box. But you can watch any streaming service you want on the box, in that service’s own app. But many of those services are also available in the Apple TV app. And the Apple TV streaming service is also available on just about all other popular set-top hardware platforms. So you don’t need an Apple TV to watch Apple TV.
If anything, it’s the hardware that feels like it needs a new name now. But, as with the app, I guess people will just add a suffix (“box”) when they need to disambiguate.
While “Apple TV+” may not have been the most inspired name, removing the “+” hardly qualifies as creating a “vibrant new identity.” Craig Federighi’s WWDC jokes about Apple’s “crack product marketing team” being “fully baked” are starting to feel less like humor and more like accurate commentary.
I guess the “vibrant” is meant to refer to the new icon, but Apple did not make this clear.
The Apple TV app only just got a refreshed icon with iOS 26 and Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign.
Starting with iOS 26.1, Apple is adding a splash of color to the recently updated icon.
They’re also changing the hard drive icon again.
Previously:
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Yo dawg, I heard you like Apple TV. So we put an Apple TV in your Apple TV so you can Apple TV while you Apple TV.
