Ternus aims to make Apple TV more competitive Apfelpatient

According to a report in the Hollywood newspaper Deadline, Apple's designated CEO John Ternus is not only an Apple TV user himself – he also apparently wants to position the streaming service more aggressively against Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. Good news for Apple TV fans, but difficult to implement.

With the transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus, many are wondering how the new CEO will prioritize the various business areas. Ternus has been a hardware engineer for 25 years – his core expertise lies in chips, device design, and manufacturing, not streaming production. For Apple TV fans, this was initially a source of concern. Hollywood has been wondering for years whether Apple's streaming ambitions are sustainable. Now there's a reassuring answer.

Hollywood trade publication Deadline reports that Ternus himself is an Apple TV user and regularly consumes the service's content. Furthermore, an Apple insider quotes Ternus as saying he wants to make the service "more competitive." This would represent a clear strategic shift from the previous Apple TV approach under Tim Cook, which focused more on quality and prestige than on sheer market power.

Hollywood skepticism

The entertainment industry's concerns are not new. Even Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos openly questioned in 2025 why Apple was even operating a streaming service – an implicit challenge to Apple's long-term commitment to the Hollywood business. These concerns intensified when it became clear that Apple was entering the new era with a hardware engineer at its helm.

Apple TV is actually well-positioned in terms of streaming technology. The service has a strong reputation for high-quality, sophisticated series – from "Ted Lasso" and "Severance" to "Pluribus," "Silo," and the upcoming thriller The Savant. But in terms of sheer subscriber numbers and market power, Apple has remained a niche provider despite such successes.

The specific Ternus signals

The Deadline report cites several specific indications of Ternus' relationship with Apple TV:

He watches the content himself. Both Apple employees at Cupertino headquarters and Hollywood insiders describe Ternus as a fan of the service.
He attended the Apple TV premiere of the F1 movie. Ternus is a self-confessed motorsport fan – and Apple TV signed a five-year Formula 1 rights deal for the US last fall.
He has a close relationship with Eddy Cue, the Services SVP who leads Apple TV.

The combination of personal interest, industry presence, and a good relationship with the person in charge is a strong indicator. Ternus is demonstrating outwardly that he takes Apple TV seriously.

What "more competitive" could specifically mean

The crucial question is what "more competitive" means in practice. Several options are conceivable:

Larger budgets for original productions: Apple is estimated to already spend several billion dollars a year on Apple TV content. A further increase could accelerate production and allow for more series to run simultaneously.

More output: Netflix produces hundreds of hours of new content annually. Apple TV focuses on a smaller number of high-quality projects. If Ternus is indeed aiming for market share, the output pace could increase.

More aggressive pricing: The service currently costs $12.99 (€9.99) per month – too expensive for many casual streamers. A cheaper entry option or an ad-supported tier (like Netflix and Disney+) could significantly increase the number of subscribers.

Strategic content deals: Apple could license popular series or films from other providers to expand its catalog offerings more quickly. This is an option that Cook has consciously avoided so far.

Whether Ternus will actually pursue one of these paths remains to be seen. However, the Deadline report suggests that change is to be expected under his leadership – in contrast to Apple TV's previously rather conservative strategy.

The danger of course change

However, there's a downside: Apple TV didn't become successful because it produced a lot of content, but because it produced good content. Shifting from a quality-first strategy to a quantity-first strategy could damage precisely what makes Apple TV unique.

Tim Cook handled this balancing act well. Apple never tried to broadly copy Netflix – instead, the company focused on a prestigious position in the streaming market. If Ternus changes course and focuses primarily on market power, the Apple TV profile could be diluted. That would be bad news for both viewers and producers.

A targeted expansion in specific areas would probably be better: more live sports (after the F1 success), international expansion with locally produced content, or an advertising-funded tier that opens up new target groups – without sacrificing existing strengths.

Apple TV: What's happening by September

Ternus will officially take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Until then, Apple TV's strategy is unlikely to change significantly. Already planned series like Silo Season 3 and other original productions will proceed as scheduled.

The period after that will be interesting. Once Ternus officially takes office, new strategic directions can be set. If he's serious about being "more competitive," this should become evident in the coming months through concrete steps: new rights deals, new series orders, or perhaps even an Apple TV price adjustment. For Apple TV fans, this is good news – as long as Ternus finds the right balance between greater reach and maintaining the quality that has defined the service so far. (Image: Apple)