Apple TV+ took over the Apple.com home page on Friday. And the company also released a lengthy video about a game recently added to Apple Arcade. These Apple services are seen as increasingly important to its bottom line. And the company is using new ways to advertise them.
Apple TV+ takes center stage
The home page for Apple.com ordinarily highlights this company’s hardware offerings, like the latest iPhone and MacBook. On Friday, that space was given almost entirely to Apple TV+.
The emphasis was on shows that received Emmy nominations. Most prominent on Apple’s home page was The Morning Show with 8 nominations. But Beastie Boys Story was also easy to find, as it pulled in 5 nominations. Other shows that were recognized this year by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences were splashed across Apple’s site on Friday too.
This is not the first time the Mac-maker tried this. Back in February 2020, the home page was transformed into a fun ad for Arcade, another Apple Service.
Take a deep video dive into The Last Campfire on Apple Arcade
So far, video hasn’t been a significant part of marketing Apple Arcade. There’s not even a YouTube channel dedicated to this service. But Friday, the company signaled that might be changing.
It posted a 6:34-minute “first look” at The Last Campfire, a title that debuted on its gaming service last week. Stephanie Nordlie, Program Manager for Apple Arcade, introduces the game, showing what it’s like to play.
Apple services are important for growth
Apple pulled in $13.3 billion from services like TV+ and Arcade last quarter, though the App Store contributed the lion’s share to that total. Still, services brought in almost as much as revenue from sales of Mac and iPad combined.
iPhone still brings in much more, but there’s been little or no growth from handset sales for years. Revenue from services, on the other hand, has more than doubled since 2016.
Adding Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade to its lineup last year are part of Apple’s plan to continue that growth. And exploring new ways to advertise these contributes to the goal.
