Apple just cut Apple TV+ subscription prices by more than half for Black Friday, offering six months at $5.99 per month instead of the usual $12.99. It's the first time the streaming service has been this affordable since late 2022, when Apple hiked prices from the original $4.99 to $6.99. The promotion comes as Apple prepares to become the exclusive home of Formula 1 racing in 2026.
Apple is making its biggest play yet to hook streaming subscribers before the holiday season. The company just launched a Black Friday deal that cuts Apple TV+ prices to $5.99 per month for six months - a 54% discount from the current $12.99 monthly rate.
The timing isn't accidental. Apple TV+ has been quietly building a reputation as the premium, ad-free alternative in a crowded streaming market, but it's also been the most expensive per month. At $12.99, it costs more than Netflix's standard plan and nearly double what Disney+ charges. This deal brings the service back to its most affordable pricing since October 2022, when Apple raised prices from $4.99 to $6.99.
The promotional pricing means subscribers will pay $36 over six months instead of $78 - a significant savings that puts Apple TV+ in direct competition with Black Friday deals from Disney Plus and HBO Max. But while those services are offering year-long discounts, Apple is keeping its promotion to just six months.
That shorter timeframe might be strategic. Apple is betting that subscribers will stick around at full price once they experience the service's growing content library. Shows like Foundation, Slow Horses, and the newly launched Pluribus have been earning critical acclaim, while Severance remains one of the most talked-about series in streaming.
The bigger play, though, might be sports. Apple TV+ will become the exclusive streaming home for Formula 1 starting in 2026 - a massive content acquisition that could justify higher subscription prices down the line. Getting users hooked now at a discount price sets Apple up to retain them when F1 races become exclusive content.
There are some catches to the deal, according to reporting by Variety. Users who are eligible for Apple's standard three-month free trial through purchasing a new Apple device can't combine that with the Black Friday pricing. The promotion also won't work for subscribers who access Apple TV+ through third-party services like Amazon Prime Video Channels.
The restrictions make sense from Apple's perspective - the company doesn't want to stack discounts or cannibalize revenue from its hardware ecosystem. But they also highlight how Apple TV+ sits uniquely in the streaming landscape as both a standalone service and a component of Apple's broader product strategy.
Competitively, this puts pressure on other premium streaming services. Apple TV+ remains the only major platform without ads, and at $5.99 temporarily, it's undercutting services that have been aggressively pushing ad-supported tiers. Netflix's ad-free standard plan runs $15.49 monthly, while HBO Max charges $16.99 for its ad-free version.
For Apple, the math is simple: lock in subscribers now with compelling pricing, then keep them with exclusive content like F1 and continued investment in prestige television. Whether that strategy works long-term depends on how many Black Friday bargain hunters decide to stick around when rates return to $12.99 in six months.
Apple's Black Friday gambit reveals the company's confidence in its streaming content and its willingness to sacrifice short-term revenue for subscriber growth. With Formula 1 exclusivity on the horizon and a content library that's finally hitting its stride, Apple TV+ is positioning itself as the premium alternative just as other services double down on ads. The six-month limit on this deal suggests Apple believes its content can justify a return to full pricing - we'll find out in six months whether subscribers agree.
