[29][28] Since then, the service has become the home to critically acclaimed content: between September 2021 and March 2022, Apple TV+ netted a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series with Ted Lasso and the Academy Award for Best Picture with CODA, the first Best Picture win for a film distributed by a streaming service.

[32] Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have all signed a multi year look deal with Apple TV+ to develop more television projects under their production companies after their critically acclaimed shows.

[36][2] In August, Matt Cherniss was hired as Head of Domestic Creative Development, reporting directly to Van Amburg and Erlicht.

[38][39][4][6][40] Throughout 2019, Apple continued to build out its unscripted content team, with Molly Thompson hired as Head of Documentaries in April.

[42] In October 2018, it was reported that Apple would distribute its future original content through a still-in-development digital video service within its TV application that is pre-installed in all iOS and tvOS devices.

[52] In mid-June 2021, Apple added a note to its website advising customers that new users subscribing after June 30, 2021, would receive only three months of free subscription instead of a year.

[57] Early critical reaction to the bulk of the service's programming was mixed to poor, but commentators predicted that Apple would have time to grow into its new role as a content provider and to produce well-regarded content, especially as the free year of the service provided with many Apple product purchases enticed users to continue watching, and for some to eventually pay for a subscription, as new series are released.

[29][28] In addition, Apple TV+ endeavored to gain new high-profile content, taking advantage of the pandemic's disruption of theatrical film releases.

Among these acquisitions were the 2020 feature film Greyhound starring Tom Hanks, which was purchased from Sony Pictures for $70 million.

[61] In July 2020, the service won a heated bidding war for Emancipation, a slavery-based action-thriller starring Will Smith and directed by Antoine Fuqua.

[66] In June 2018, Apple signed the Writers Guild of America's minimum basic agreement and Oprah Winfrey to a multi-year content partnership.

[69] In September 2018, it was reported that Apple had decided to shelve Vital Signs, a six-episode biopic television series centering on the life of hip-hop producer and performer Dr. Dre and starring Ian McShane, Sam Rockwell, and Michael K. Williams, due to concerns about the show's content being too graphic, with moments cited including characters using cocaine, instances of gun violence, and an explicit orgy scene.

Various programs in different stages of production apparently had their content altered, including the toning down of The Morning Show and the removal of crucifixes from a scene in the M. Night Shyamalan drama series.

Additionally, Apple reportedly passed on a television series from comedian Whitney Cummings about the #MeToo movement because it was "too sensitive a topic".

[73] In November 2018, Apple entered into a multi-year agreement with entertainment company A24 to produce a slate of original films in partnership with its Worldwide Video Unit.

[75] Also that month, Apple signed Justin Lin and his production company, Perfect Storm Entertainment, to a multi-year overall deal to produce original television content.

[77] The same month, Apple signed a first-look deal with Imagine Documentaries to develop nonfiction features and series.

[80] On April 10, 2019, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, announced on Instagram that he was working alongside Winfrey on the mental health documentary series as a co-creator and executive producer.

[88] In September 2020, Apple officially acquired the film Cherry, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring Tom Holland, for around $40 million.

[91][92][93] In November 2020, Steven Lightfoot signed a multi-year overall production deal with Apple, starting off as showrunner of the upcoming drama Shantaram.

[97] A few months earlier, Apple acquired the global distribution rights to Skydance's films Luck, released in August 2022, and Spellbound,[98] however the partnership between Skydance Animation and Apple was later canceled in October 2023, with Netflix acquiring the distribution rights to Spellbound as part of a newly formed multi-year partnership between Netflix and the studio.

[99][100] In March 2021, Apple announced a multi-year programming partnership with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.

[103] March also brought an overall multi-year first-look deal with Tracy Oliver, reportedly worth well into the "eight-figure range".

[106] In July, Apple also signed a first-look deal with Alexander Rodnyansky's production company, AR Content, for future Russian-language and multilingual television series.

[107] Additionally, Apple signed a multi-year, first-look deal with Adam McKay's production company, Hyperobject Industries, for upcoming scripted feature films.

[110] Meadowlark Media hired Deirdre Fenton as an executive director of unscripted programming to lead the relationship with Apple.

Stewart told The New York Times that Apple pushed back on episodes about China and artificial intelligence.

Apple has said that its primary goal in releasing the film is to attract more subscribers, not to do well at the box office, but it brought in $145 million.

[132] In March 2024, Apple made 51 catalog films available under a "Great Movies special collection" banner.

[134][135][136] It has partnered with large cable television MSOs and telecommunications mobile network operators, such as Altice USA,[137] the UK's EE,[138] and Ireland's Eir TV,[139][140] to offer those systems' customers Apple TV+ as part of a bundle, sometimes including an Apple TV 4K set-top box.