Apple has decided to once again extend its free trial period for its Apple TV+ streaming service. The trials were originally included with the purchase of any Apple device and were initially set to last for a year until November 1, 2020. Apple extended the trial until February of this year and this latest extension will be the second for the platform which will push the free trial until July 2021.
The extension of the free trial for Apple TV+ comes in the wake of production delays that have plagued the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only two of their shows that have launched have premiered a second season (Dickinson and Servant) while others such as For All Mankind, The Morning Show, and See, are still waiting for their second season rollouts. Subscribers who had free subscriptions that were set to expire any time from February 2021 to June 2021 will also get an extension until July.
Extending the free trial is certainly a nice gesture on Apple's part. They're aware that production delays haven't allowed them to add the amount of content that they were hoping for by this point and it wouldn't make much sense to make consumers pay for the service if it's not 100% up to par. This will give audiences more time to decide if they want to drop $4.99 a month for the streamer once the free trial expires in July.
Apple TV+ is bringing some films with a bit of buzz to the platform. Cherry, starring Tom Holland, hits the service on March 12, 2021, while Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake, arrives on January 29, 2021. Apple TV+ also acquired Tom Hanks's Greyhound last year when it was decided to do away with the film's theatrical release due to the pandemic. In the war of the streaming services, Apple TV+ has been a bit under the radar but there is potential for growth. The extension of the free trial certainly makes the service a bit more enticing to those who were on the fence about jumping on.
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