Apple’s launched its first bundle deal for Apple TV+ — but you’ll have to be a student to take advantage of it.
On Dickinson star Hailee Steinfeld’s Instagram page, the singer/actress noted that Apple Music subscribers on Apple’s $4.99 Student plan will receive Apple TV+ in addition to Apple’s streaming music service.
This is an amazing deal, which works out as just one-third of the price everyone else has to pay for the two services. (Unless they buy a new Apple device, in which case a year’s Apple TV+ is thrown in for free.) It’s especially good since most people were expecting Apple to charge a lot more for its monthly streaming video service.
Apple has always worked hard to embrace the student market, dating back to the 1980s. Students (and the overall educational market) has traditionally been one of Apple’s most loyal customer bases. It pays to have educated young people advertise your products by using them. It also potentially sets up a generation of possible Apple lifetime users.
Beyond students: Apple TV+ bundle
There could be another reason for Apple doing this, too. As Apple concentrates increasingly on services, a number of people have suggested an Amazon Prime-style bundle. “We think Apple should launch a subscription bundle as a way to reinforce iPhone loyalty and leverage it into content,” recommended Goldman Sachs analysts in October 2018.
Right now, Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ are separate services requiring their own subscription. A recent report suggested Apple is considering launching new bundles featuring multiple subscriptions.
If this pushes more students to sign up to Apple Music, Apple could have a business case for embracing other bundles. These could be aimed at a broader base of users. The results would help get Apple TV+ shows in front of more people’s eyeballs. It could also help Apple Music at a time when Spotify is cementing its lead in terms of new subscribers.
