A year and a half in, Apple TV+ remains something of a black box. Ever since the streaming video service’s launch in November 2019, Cupertino has refused to reveal hard data about just how well Apple TV+ is doing.

In some respects, the future looks promising. Apple TV+ continues to add high-profile projects to its production queue. Apple TV+ shows and movies continue to rack up awards. And upcoming originals like an epic sci-fi adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation and the second season of surprise hit Ted Lasso are generating buzz.

Plus, with the original one-year free trials ending — and new free Apple TV+ trials slashed to just three months — the $4.99-a-month streaming service seems increasingly confident about its value proposition for viewers.

Still, the Apple TV+ library continues to be dwarfed by rivals like Netflix and Disney+.

So what does the future hold? And what does “success” look like for Apple TV+ anyway? Cult of Mac asked the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a pseudonymous entertainment executive who writes about the business, how Apple TV+ is faring and what to expect next. His responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Everyone needs a VPN and a firewall they can trust. With everyone living our lives online more than ever, these services for protecting our most private data are not just bonuses for the highly tech-conscious, but essentials for every household. 

The super-smart Deeper Connect Nano Decentralized VPN Cybersecurity Hardware will take care of both, and it’s on sale today for just $299. Unlike practically every other VPN on the market, the Deeper Connect Nano is a one-and-done deal, sparing you from pesky monthly subscription fees forever.

People who use the video-streaming app Twitch can now join the platform’s “Watch Parties” on iOS and Android devices, according to a tweet sent out Friday.

Focused since its launch on bringing people together to watch and comment on video gameplay, Twitch also does drama and comedy. Its Watch Parties let Twitch users stream Amazon Prime content.

The third-party Controller for HomeKit app’s new version 5.4 update adds something users have wanted for a while. It’s a full backup and restore process that includes the HomeKit codes identifying the devices and accessories you include in your home automation.

If you’ve already installed the iOS 15 beta on your iPhone and run into issues, you might want to downgrade to iOS 14 until more stable releases are available. Luckily, it’s really easy to do that if you have a Mac handy.

We’ll show you how.

With a showdown on the horizon, Lisey gets back in touch with her sisters — in the most intense way imaginable — in this week’s installment of Lisey’s Story, the fantastical Apple TV+ series based on Stephen King’s novel.

It’s only a matter of time before Lisey has to take down her foes, real and imaginary, and she’s gonna need all the help she can get.

Randomo_redditor runs her MacBook Pro and iPad with a monstrously wide Dell monitor, at 49 inches. But even that curved showstopper fails to provide enough real estate for all she does. So she added a 27-inch Dell display in portrait mode on the side. If you’re searching for the best monitors for Mac Mini, you might find this Samsung ultra-wide monitor setup to be a great option.

Now she can fit everything on the screens. And we do mean everything. Randomo already made the most of her widescreen by using an app to split the screen into thirds, for different uses.

Dell’s slick new UltraSharp Webcam takes a page out of the 2021 iPad Pro’s book with a Center Stage-like advanced AI auto-framing feature. It keeps the subject — most likely your face, on a video call — centered in the frame and in focus, even if you move around a lot.

The new Dell 4K webcam isn’t cheap, you may notice. But for the $199.99 price tag, you get some nice features.

Solitaire Stories is a new twist on the popular card game. Rather than just stacks of cards, there’s a storyline. And games get progressively harder to increase the challenge.

This is the latest addition to the Apple Arcade subscription gaming service for iPhone, Mac and more.

As a writer, it’s not just about the big idea — preparation and execution are just as important as the creative spark.

Twitter is exploring a new “trusted friends” feature that gives users more control over who can see certain tweets.

The move could make it possible to block some followers from seeing select posts — without actually blocking their accounts. It comes after rumors claimed Twitter is planning to add groups support to its platform.

Spotify on Thursday rolled out a new beta version of its Mac app that’s built for M1 chips. It promises “many compatibility improvements and optimizations” for Apple Silicon machines, and anyone can try it out.

The 2022 iPad Pro could ship with a next-generation chipset manufactured using a cutting-edge 3-nanometer process, according to a new report out of Asia, citing several sources familiar with the matter.

The upgrade would lead to even greater performance for what is already one of Apple’s fastest mobile devices. But we may have to wait longer for the same technology to make its way to iPhone.

Apple is reportedly going to test a program that will have its Apple Store retail employees work from home some of the time. And no, that won‘t involve customers shopping in employees’ living rooms.

Intrepid explorers online on Reddit and YouTube have come across an especially fun Easter egg in Google’s iOS app — a secret pinball game that takes a little doing to find.

Anyone can put the macOS Monterey beta on their Mac — it’s no longer reserved for developers. Apple added the pre-release version to its public beta program on Thursday.

Installing it is free, and not too difficult. Here’s how begin playing with macOS Monterey yourself.

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You’ll be able to run the recently revealed Windows 11 on your Mac. Eventually. Parallels is working on adding support for Microsoft’s next operating system to its macOS app, Parallels Desktop.

It’s going to be a while, though. All that’s available from Microsoft now is a Windows 11 Insider Preview, and there’s not even an official release date for the full OS.

The new Music Widget, which is actually a standalone app, brings back to life the original Mac OS X (Tiger) iTunes widget. So you can party like it’s 2005 with your tunes.

The Tiger OS, released in 2005, offered nifty little widgets through its Dashboard. Now programmer Mario Guzman gives us an exact replica of the defunct iTunes widget, but for modern Macs.

Slip an 11-inch iPad Pro into the newly announced Brydge 11 Max+ to convert it into a premium laptop. There’s a backlit keyboard, sizable trackpad and a clamshell design. The tablet is protected, but is held in with magnets so it’s easily removable.

The keyboard case is also compatible with the iPad Air 4. This is the second such peripheral Brydge has released for these two devices in recent months.

The headline should probably read, “Got data? And money?” Storage device-maker Apricorn released on Thursday what it bills as the largest-ever portable encrypted solid state drive. It holds 20TB of data and costs $12,999.

But don’t worry, you can get a much smaller one for as little as $239.

Apple will now give you credit toward an iPhone when you trade in an eligible smartphone from LG. A total of four different devices are accepted right now, with up to $180 on offer.

The move comes just months after LG announced it is exiting the smartphone business. The South Korean firm will not release any new handsets following years of sales declines and losses.

Every painter knows that good painting isn’t just about the vision: It’s all about having the right materials.

For a painter, a set of delicate brushes or exquisite paints allows them to bring their vision to life. Just because we’re in the digital age doesn’t mean artists have any less need for premium painting materials.

Got an old Mac that badly needs a software update? Apple finally dropped the $19.99 fee for Mac OS X Lion and Mountain Lion, allowing users to download them for free for the first time.

The original 12-inch MacBook, first released in 2015, has been added to Apple’s list of “vintage” machines. It could make getting official repairs more difficult, but limited support from Apple is still available for now.

Apple is teaming up with two new suppliers to bring mini-LED displays to MacBook Pro later this year, according to a new report. The next-generation machines are expected to come in 14- and 16-inch sizes.

It could be as soon as September. One of the suppliers, who is investing to increase production capacity during the third quarter, is already manufacturing mini-LED screens for the newest 12.9-inch iPad Pro.