Thursday, August 14, 2025

Top 5 This Week

spot_img

Related Posts

Apple TV+ Betrays Subscription Promise – Now Selling Its Originals Like Everyone Else

Apple TV+ Betrays Subscription Promise – Now Selling Its Originals Like Everyone Else

Hello everyone. So Apple, that benevolent tech overlord who loves nothing more than putting a shiny lock on everything you touch, has now decided to – brace yourself – actually sell some of their own movies. Yes, truly revolutionary. Nobel Prize-worthy. Somewhere, a marketing executive just high-fived themselves so hard their Apple Watch thought they’d had a cardiac episode.

We’re talking about Apple TV+ finally letting you buy, with actual money, a few of its original titles instead of holding them hostage until you cave in to yet another bloated subscription. Specifically, Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks (2020), Sian Heder’s Oscar-strutting CODA (2021), and Aaron Schneider’s WWII Dad-Film™ Greyhound (2020). All available now in glorious 4K HDR – because nothing says “emotional indie drama” like making sure you can see every pore in Bill Murray’s face.

From Walled Garden to… Slightly Bigger Walled Garden

Normally, Apple’s distribution model is simpler than an NPC fetch quest: subscribe, or you get nothing. No soup for you. If you’re not a $9.99-per-month disciple, their content may as well not exist. But now… they’re letting non-subscribers open their wallets to buy or rent these older treasures. A pivot, a twist, maybe even – dare I say – basic common sense?

Of course, this isn’t charity. The rental and purchase interface uses iTunes Store pricing and IDs because, well, Apple doesn’t leave a breadcrumb without monetizing it. Consider it the gaming equivalent of unlocking an old DLC from a previous patch – now bundled, at a reasonable mark-up, because the live-service model needs fresh meat.

Why Now?

Let’s put on our tin-foil helmets for a moment. This “test” or “roll-out” could be Apple’s sneaky way of broadening the cash pipeline beyond subscription revenue. Maybe they’ve realised people don’t binge everything day-one anymore. Maybe they’ve looked at the competition – who have been selling their originals for years – and thought, “Oh, people pay for things more than once? Neat.” Or maybe, just maybe, they’re preparing for the great streaming subscription apocalypse when consumers wake up and notice they’re paying more in subs than they did for actual cable TV.

“This is less magnanimous innovation and more monetisation dressed up as generosity.”

The Line-Up

  • On the Rocks – Stylish midlife-crisis brunch conversations in 4K. Because you need those waffle scenes crisp.
  • CODA – The heartwarming underdog story that nabbed an Oscar, now available without a subscription leash.
  • Greyhound – Tom Hanks vs. Nazi U-boats in a movie that’s basically 90 minutes of naval radar pings and terse orders. Ideal for history-buff dads and people who think *World of Warships* is a full career path.

Verdict

Look, giving people more ways to spend money without locking them into a monthly plan is objectively a win for the consumer. But let’s not crown Apple a hero for something that every sane digital storefront has been doing for over a decade. This isn’t them discovering penicillin; it’s them finding a crumpled $10 bill in their corporate couch cushions and deciding to spend it on more popcorn for the concession stand.

It’s a nice change, sure. But like any doctor will tell you when you complain about mild aches – it’s not life-saving, it’s just overdue.

Overall impression: Good move, but more “final patch for a two-year-old game” than “shiny new expansion.” Let’s see if they keep it up instead of retreating behind their paywall fortress.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.

Article source: Older Apple TV+ Movies Available to Purchase Directly, https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/12/older-apple-tv-movies-available-to-purchase/

Dr. Su
Dr. Su
Dr. Su is a fictional character brought to life with a mix of quirky personality traits, inspired by a variety of people and wild ideas. The goal? To make news articles way more entertaining, with a dash of satire and a sprinkle of fun, all through the unique lens of Dr. Su.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here


Popular Articles