The Apple TV+ algorithm is more insidious than you think

Approaching its sixth birthday, Apple TV+ has carved out a decent niche in the streaming wars, populating its service with talented stars and attractive shows. It doesn’t have the most extensive catalog, but it’s also not particularly pricey relative to other streaming services. And because it’s a part of a larger tech company, and not itself a major priority, Apple TV + has a little more flexibility when it comes to what they make. Its shows are very pretty, quite expensive, and mostly decent.

However, the big-name celebrities and glossy title cards hide a more careful plan, an algorithm that seems far more precise and calculated at getting people to watch. Here’s how Apple TV + is most cunning.

Everything looks bright and attractive

Aesthetics are key to drawing you in

Apple TV + is very good at grabbing people’s attention. It’s certainly one of the most attractive streaming services (and operating systems), with beautiful, large banners and glossy title cards that are aesthetically pleasing. Each show or movie has an attractive look that piques curiosity. It makes sense considering Apple is known for creating products that not only function well, but look and feel good too.

That care is extended to navigation as well. Everything about Apple TV feels smooth and seamless.

Star-studded lineup lends credibility

Actors play to type in Apple TV+ originals

Apple TV+ has a curious strategy when it comes to their TV shows, and one that seems to be working well. From the beginning, it has sought out big-named stars, especially those who tend to do a lot of film. The Morning Show was one of the first offerings, featuring stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Years later, the service brought Hollywood heavyweights like Idris Elba, Gary Oldman, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Connolly, Maya Rudolph, and Kristin Wiig to its growing roster of talented and compelling figures.

However, just about every role starring so many of the notable names in Apple shows seems written specifically for these actors and designed to reinforce what audiences think of them. These roles aren’t stretches, but instead just another version of characters you are mostly familiar with. Farrell as a slick private eye, Elba as a negotiator, and Jon Hamm as a rich fraudster all seem pretty on point. Don’t forget The Studio, which features a lot of actors playing versions of themselves (and somehow getting nominated for Emmys!)

Lastly, it shouldn’t pass you by that Apple TV+ shows are not going to do anything to make its star actors look unattractive or anything other than their stellar, beautiful selves. Farrell is not dressing up as The Penguin here, he’s donning a well-tailored suit. Jason Momoa is shirtless a lot. Aniston’s hair looks great. It’s almost surprising that Murderbot was greenlit, but at least Alexander Skarsgård shows his face; Apple TV+ would not do anything like The Mandalorian.

Catchy titles and familiar visuals

Apple’s clever marketing is a success

There’s something strange about how Apple names its shows, and it’s all very purposeful. It wants TV show titles to do a lot of heavy lifting and get you invested before you even know what the shows are about. Most of its shows have one or two-word titles, making it easier for people to not only remember, but talk about in person and online. Short titles are easier to hashtag.

There are also a lot of shows that begin with the letter ‘S’ and the letter ‘P.’ That’s because these letters are punchy and potent — just listen to how that sentence sounds aloud. That’s why, after Severance, Surface, Sugar, Silo and Slow Horses, there’s now Stick and soon to come is The Savant. There’s Pachinko, Presumed Innocent, Platonic, Palm Royale, and later this year is Pluribus.

Apple TV+ also makes sure all its title cards are simple and attractive. They typically feature one or two people looking in one direction out of frame. If they are smiling, it’s a comedy; if they’re serious, it’s a drama. These aren’t necessarily new tactics, but Apple seems to be leaning into them far more than other services. It’s also more notable because Apple only has its own originals on its service. It didn’t come with any IP or acquired titles, so everything you see is its own product. And they’re all very similar.

Trials are too tempting to resist

Watch for free and get hooked

Apple TV+ really wants you to start watching, more so than any other service, because it will give you a lot of ways to get many months for free. While Disney+ doesn’t even give you a week free in most cases, Apple TV+ just hands out three-month trials left and right. If you buy certain Apple products, you’ll get a trial. If you’re partnered with any number of other companies, from rewards groups to specific electronics manufacturers, you may get a free trial. They’re everywhere, and it’s pretty easy to stack them.

Of course, Apple wants you to get hooked on not just its shows, but its entire ecosystem of services and products. Why subscribe to Apple TV+ by itself when you can bundle in a bunch of products and services? It makes for a great deal, indeed, but it gets you a part of the entire Apple ecosystem. As long as there are a few shows you like available on Apple TV+, you’re likely to keep it around, even if its library is nowhere near as vast as Netflix or Disney+.

There are definitely some very good shows on Apple TV+, and at its price point, it’s not the most inflammatory of services. But there is a lot at work behind the scenes with this streaming service, and if you’re going to subscribe, you better know what you’re getting into first.