Summary
- Apple TV+ lacks physical releases for its original shows & movies, making it difficult for fans to collect them.
- Severance was an exception and received a Blu-ray release, hopefully setting a precedent for future Apple TV+ productions.
- Apple may be losing money on its streaming service, but physical releases could attract more subscribers and offer additional revenue streams.
Apple TV+ is making some of the best television in the history of the medium, but rarely if ever releases any of its movies or shows on Blu-ray or DVD.
The shows that do make it to physical media usually get there by way of a third-party that has an interest in the show or film, but it seems that if it’s a pure Apple production, then it remains locked to the streaming service itself.
Severance Got the Physical Release It Deserves
I have no complaints about the quality of content on Apple TV+. There’s both more of it than you might think, and it tends to be at the upper end of prestige television too.
Which means that I would really like to collect some of these TV series and films, but it’s just not possible. One exception is Severance, which did get a season 1 release on Blu-ray.
That being said, I prefer buying TV series box sets when the show is complete, and at this point I don’t know how many of the seasons will get a physical release.
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Apple’s Shows Are Worth Owning and Collecting
If Severance gets a complete release on Blu-ray eventually, I’ll almost certainly snap it up, but what about all the other great shows?
What about the sci-fi epic Foundation? I can buy a hardcover production art book of the show no problem, but there’s no way to own the actual show itself. That’s right, there’s no way to own the show, not as a disc or as a digital download.
Likewise, shows like Silo and Slow Horses are also not available as physical media. Though you’re welcome to buy the books these shows are based on, with a nice Apply TV+ sticker on the front cover to remind you that you should be a subscriber. Apple’s upcoming series Murderbot is based on one of my favorite books series, and I just know that there will probably never be a Blu-ray for me to collect.
Of course, and somewhat ironically, Apple’s shows are not immune to piracy and those willing to sail the seven seas of the internet have access to offline copies of these movies and episodes, even though Apple won’t give its legitimate customers the option to do the same.
Apple Is Losing Money on Its Streaming Shows
While there is no official confirmation of this, I think at least part of the reason Apple doesn’t do physical releases might be that Apple is losing a billion dollars annually on its streaming service, as reported by Variety.
One of the reasons I think this is happening comes down to how bad Apple is at marketing its shows. I bet most of you reading this don’t even know two-thirds of the content the service has to offer. It’s understandable if you checked it out in the early days, watched everything and bounced, but if Apple simply let people know about their new programs, then more people would subscribe to watch them.
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There’s No Downside to Releasing Physical Shows
I can’t prove it, but I think part of the reason Apple is shying away from physical releases of its media comes down to concerns that those move sales will cannibalize Apple TV+ subscriptions. If that is the case, I have to disagree for a few reasons.
First, the physical releases come long after the shows have been released on the streaming platform. Anyone who wanted to just watch the show would already be subscribed for that purpose, and if they don’t want to stick around, that has nothing to do with a disc release.
Second, the Blu-ray version would be a distinct product with its own value proposition. Blu-ray discs offer significantly better image and audio quality than even the best streaming quality Apple offers. Which means there is an additional audience for it.
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I also don’t see how this will hurt the streaming service financially. In fact, as far as I can see, it will only help. There’s profit in Blu-ray, and even more scope for premium collector’s editions that promise fat margins to a boutique collector market.
That’s without taking into consideration that the Blu-rays themselves are a way to funnel people back to the streaming service that birthed them. The same way Apple is happy to plug their service on the books some of their shows are based on.
So Apple, if you want to consider shrinking those losses just a little bit, why not give us more options to give you money? I know you like that.
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