Streaming services have become needlessly complex over the past couple of years. First, there's the sheer volume of options on the market.
Then there's the fact that most have a new confusing tier system that locks features behind pay walls with little to no warning; I'm looking at you, Amazon Prime Video.
With the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video and Paramount Plus all vying for your monthly direct debit, it can be hard to know which service is the best one to go for.
Even the big UK broadcasters are throwing their hats in the ring, as I found out when a Channel 4+ advert kindly spoiled the episode of The Great British Bake Off that I was watching – rude.
With crucial AV features including 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos now being locked behind the "premium" subscription tiers, I'm starting to get rather frustrated with the whole streaming business, and I'm willing to bet that it's not just me either.
That's why I've been evaluating which services to keep and which ones I'm better off without, and it's reminded me of one overlooked service that hasn't fallen victim to the modern streaming woes.
Ironically, this service is backed by one of the largest and most influential technology firms in the world.
Yes, I'm talking about Apple TV+, a service that many consider to be closed off and not worth their money compared to the likes of Netflix, which features enough content to spark a 45-minute debate about what to watch every single time the app is opened without fail.
Now, I can't dispute that Apple's content library seems like a bit of a letdown on paper, but Apple TV+ is the epitome of "quality over quantity" in my books. It's also improved hugely over the years since its launch, meaning there are plenty of shows and films to choose from.
Its content library includes the likes of Severance, which I've been told to watch more times than I can bear to count (It's on my list), as well as Slow Horses, Silo, The Morning Show, Shrinking and The Studio.
The final one is one of the smartest, best-produced, and funniest shows I've seen in a very long time – hence why it just won a record-breaking 13 Emmy Awards in its first season.
And because it's Apple, which happens to make quite a lot of money selling iPhones, Macs and AirPods, if you weren't aware, the production values of these shows are second to none.
I've watched these shows on everything from my Sony A80L OLED TV to my iPhone 16, and they look glorious on practically every screen thanks to their slick production.
Best of all, Apple hasn't succumbed to this subscription tier system nonsense. It's £9.99 / $12.99 / AU$15.99 per month, with ad-free viewing in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio – simple.
Now, that has risen in price since it launched in 2019, when it was £4.99 / $4.99 / AU$7.99. However, compared to Netflix's egregious price hikes, which means a plan with those same features is now £18.99 / $24.99 / AU$28.99 per month, I'm willing to cut Apple some slack.
If you're tired of Netflix and Disney Plus, and have been resisting the temptation to check out some of the shows I've mentioned above, I'd highly recommend ditching those services for a month and seeing what you think of Apple TV+.
Best-case scenario, you'll find a great new series to get invested in. Worst case, you'll save yourself some cash this month and can resubscribe to those services at any time.
MORE:
Read our full Apple TV+ review
And check out our Apple TV 4K (2022) review
As well as our picks for the best streaming devices
