If the rollercoaster rebranding of HBO Max back to plain Max left you dizzy, brace yourself - Apple is about to take things to another level. Apple TV+, the streaming home of fan favorites like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, and other premium originals often bundled with a new iPhone purchase (suggesting standalone subscriptions might be collecting virtual cobwebs), is ditching its "+" for good.
The subtle hint came in a press release issued late Friday, October 17, 2025, announcing the upcoming online premiere of F1: The Movie by Joseph Kosinski - though the service’s app and website still sport the old branding as of 08:53 PM CEST today, Saturday, October 18.
The Quiet Rebrand: From Apple TV+ to Simply Apple TV
The change sneaked into the spotlight via a press release hyping the December 12 global streaming debut of F1: The Movie, a summer blockbuster starring Brad Pitt as a seasoned Formula 1 driver mentoring a rookie to revive a struggling team.
Directed by Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), the film has already roared past $629 million at the box office, and its move to streaming is a big win for Apple. Buried in the release was the bombshell: "Apple TV+ is now Apple TV, embracing a vibrant new identity." No grand unveiling, no press conference - just a line that’s sparked a frenzy of speculation.
For now, the Apple TV app and site remain unchanged, suggesting a gradual rollout. Apple hasn’t spilled the beans beyond the "new identity" tease, but industry watchers see this as the opening lap in a broader rebranding strategy to sharpen the service’s edge in a crowded streaming race.
Why Lose the Plus? A Quest for Clarity - or Chaos?
The "+" has long been streaming’s badge of premium content, adorning rivals like Disney+, Paramount+, and ESPN+. For Apple TV+, launched in 2019 with a splash of A-list originals, it signaled exclusive fare in a market dominated by bundles. But with subscriber growth stalling at around 25 million (a sliver of Netflix’s 280 million) and recent price hikes to $12.99/month, Apple seems ready to pivot. Branding gurus call it a "bold move toward simplicity," aligning the service with the sleek Apple ecosystem rather than a "+ add-on" tag.
The catch? It creates a branding tangle. Now, Apple’s lineup includes two Apple TVs: the streaming service (formerly +) and the long-standing TV set-top box (and app platform) dubbed Apple TV since 2007. Imagine streaming Apple TV content via the Apple TV app on your Apple TV device - a recursive loop that’s already sparking memes online. “It’s like Apple designed a riddle for its own fans,” quipped a tech blogger on X. Still, some argue the drop signals maturity, shifting focus from a gimmick to a core Apple experience, akin to Apple Music or Arcade.
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Ted Lasso’s New Home: From Bundled Bonus to Brand Pivot?
Apple TV+ has carved a niche with prestige hits - CODA (streaming’s first Best Picture Oscar), Emmy-winning Ted Lasso, and Severance, alongside heavyweights like Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon in The Morning Show. But in a world of password-sharing crackdowns and economic squeezes, its growth has plateaued. The "+" might have screamed "extra," but ditching it could weave the service tighter into Apple’s fabric, leveraging iPhone and Apple One bundles to boost reach.
The F1 premiere, tied to rumored 2026 F1 broadcasting rights, feels like a strategic flex to juice interest. Whether this rebrand hints at ad tiers, deeper hardware integration (think Vision Pro), or just a cosmetic refresh remains unclear. For now, it’s a head-scratcher: Why fix what wasn’t broken? Yet in Cupertino, where less is often more, the minus might just be the plus Apple needs.
