Apple TV+, the video streaming service from Apple, has undergone a rebranding. It will now be referred to as Apple TV. The rebranding is taking place before the debut of the Apple Original film F1 The Movie makes a global streaming debut on December 12.

“Apple TV+ is now simply Apple TV, with a vibrant new identity. Ahead of its global streaming debut on Apple TV, the film continues to be available for purchase on participating digital platforms, including the Apple TV app, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home and more,” said the tech giant in a statement.

The change is a pleasant one as the ‘+’ was becoming common and unnecessary. There is AMC+, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN+ and Paramount+. But there is still some ‘+’ running through Apple’s veins — Apple Fitness+ Apple News+ and iCloud+.
The “plus” is usually used to showcase content beyond the standard service. For Apple, it was a different case when it started video streaming on November 1, 2019, with offerings like The Morning Show.

Since 2007, the company has been offering a digital media player called Apple TV, so having a “plus” with the streaming platform helped. Apple TV media player is now known as Apple TV 4K.

In the shape of Apple TV+, the streaming service has already seen quite a few highs, like The Morning Show, the 2021 film CODA became the first movie from a streaming service to win the Oscar for best picture, and the heartwarming comedy Ted Lasso, starring Jason Sudeikis; it will return for a fourth season, Apple TV announced in March.

Most people have called the service Apple TV since 2019. The “plus” never caught on in the real world. Further, some publications spell out ‘Apple TV Plus’ while others use the official ‘Apple TV+’ title.

Streaming-related rebranding can often be confusing. When HBO Max changed its name to Max two years ago, there was confusion within the entertainment industry and among consumers. In May, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the streaming service would be renamed again, restoring the app’s old name.

Apple TV is available in over 100 countries and regions and over one billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles. The service is also available at tv.apple.com.

The current Apple TV 4K hardware made its debut three years ago in 2022. Now that the streaming service has undergone a rebranding, it remains to be seen whether new hardware is also on the way.