Amazon and Apple agree to offer Apple TV+ in a Prime package

The Apple TV platform tvOS and the original Apple TV app were originally intended to solve this problem by providing a consumer-friendly way to manage options a la carte in an emerging streaming TV industry.

However, Apple's attempt to turn the TV app into a universal content hub repeatedly failed because industry giant Netflix refused to participate.

Users of the TV app and Apple TV set-top box will still need to launch a separate Netflix app to view their viewing history on that service or to see if movies or shows they want to watch are available. Content from most other services – including Amazon Prime Video – can be viewed through in-app search and aggregated into a unified watch history.

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In addition, streaming services have become increasingly expensive and streamers are trying to find new revenue from sources such as bundles and advertising. The reasons for these trends are complex, but one of the key problems is that scripted television content is immensely expensive to produce – particularly as the era of prestige television has raised viewer expectations for quality and production values.

As one of the industry's early leaders, Netflix created unrealistic expectations among all stakeholders – consumers, production houses, investors, etc. – by simply pouring huge amounts of money into content without seeing immediate returns.

As larger economic factors put an end to the practice, streamers had to adapt – including Apple, which, among other things, is adapting its film strategy to the new landscape.

Apple still offers some of those core hub features – for example, you can subscribe to services like Paramount+ and start their shows through the Apple TV app, just like Amazon does with its app and Apple TV+ here. But the reality of the mess the industry finds itself in has clearly prompted Apple to be open about how it can attract and retain viewers.