It’s going to cost Americans a few more bucks to watch “Ted Lasso” and other Apple TV originals: The tech giant is hiking the streaming service’s subscription price yet again, following an industrywide trend of regular rate hikes.
The subscription price for Apple TV will increase in the U.S. for new and existing subscribers beginning Friday, Aug. 28. The monthly price is now $14.99 (up two bucks from $12.99) and the annual price is now $119 (from $99). Existing subscribers will be notified approximately one month prior to being charged the new price, according to Apple.
It’s the fourth price increase for Apple TV (formerly called Apple TV+) in four years. The monthly fee has now tripled from the original 2019 launch price of $4.99/month, when Apple had much more limited content and was trying to amass customers.
Along with the Apple TV price hike, the company is increasing the price of the individual tier of Apple One — the discounted bundle with Apple TV, Apple Music, iCloud+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+ — from $19.95 to $21.95 per month.
Apple’s price hikes come as all other major premium video-entertainment streamers have also raised their prices in the last two years, including Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+ and YouTube Premium. Just earlier this month, NBCUniversal’s Peacock increased its rates, and ESPN is raising streaming prices as of Sept. 17.
