iPhone users happily pay for streaming subscriptions, but watch for fatigue

This year, before unveiling its slate of new hardware, Apple kicked off its September keynote by boasting about its Apple TV+ offering, which has become a crucial part of the brand’s ecosystem. As Apple further expands its subscription model, YouGov data shows the success of this tactic.

Current iPhone owners are more likely than the average population to have paid accounts to most OTT streaming providers, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and of course AppleTV+.

While the Apple TV+ customer base is low overall compared to other streaming services, iPhone users are more than twice as likely as the general population to have a subscription to Apple’s premium streaming service. No doubt, this is a result of initially free subscriptions offered to new iPhone buyers, which the company hopes will help foster a large, long-lasting subscriber base.

For Apple TV+ to be a long-term success, Apple needs to create a river of streaming content that users will feel they can’t live without. The critical and commercial acclaim around shows like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show suggests the tech company is so far up to the task.

iPhone users who have any paid music streaming service are even more likely to have a paid account with Apple TV+, and that applies especially to those who have signed up for Apple Music.

Apple’s expanded stable of subscription services now includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, the all-new Apple Fitness+.

There are, however, signs of subscription fatigue among this user base. iPhone owners are slightly more likely than average to feel they have too many subscriptions to things, a sentiment that’s most pronounced among users with an iPhone and Apple Music (45% versus 32% of US adults).

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.