Apple TV viewership reaches record as incoming CEO pledges continued investment

Apple TV posted its highest quarterly viewership to date as incoming Apple CEO John Ternus pledged to build on the company’s momentum in film, television and live sports.

The streaming gains came as growth slowed across Apple’s broader services division, which includes Apple TV, the App Store, Apple Music, advertising, AppleCare and other businesses. Services revenue increased 12% to a record $30.7 billion during Apple’s fiscal third quarter, missing analysts’ expectations of $31.2 billion.

The figures are part of Apple’s fiscal third-quarter financial results released July 30, 2026, which were released during an earnings call.

During that call Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh attributed some of the slowdown to comparisons with the June 2025 theatrical release of “F1,” the Brad Pitt racing drama produced by Apple Original Films and distributed by Warner Bros.

The film generated more than $630 million worldwide and became one of Apple’s most visible theatrical successes. Apple did not have a comparable release during the most recent quarter, creating a difficult year-over-year comparison for its services revenue.

Parekh also pointed to weaker mobile gaming revenue and regulatory changes that have reduced or altered the commissions and revenue Apple can collect from some App Store transactions.

Despite those pressures, the App Store and Apple’s advertising, music, video and AppleCare businesses each set June-quarter revenue records. Apple reported more than 1.5 billion paid subscriptions across its services platforms.

Outgoing CEO Tim Cook highlighted Apple TV during his final quarterly earnings call before Ternus takes over the company Sept. 1, 2026. 

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Apple TV received a company-record 89 Emmy nominations in 2026, including 19 for first-year comedy “Widow’s Bay.” Apple led all networks in nominations in the major drama and comedy series categories.

The service has also expanded its sports portfolio. Formula 1 races are now available exclusively through Apple TV in the United States, while the Apple Sports app expanded to more than 170 countries and regions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ternus told Reuters that Apple would continue investing in entertainment after he succeeds Cook.

“I think we have such tremendous momentum right now in Apple TV,” Ternus said at the premiere of “Ted Lasso” Season 4. “There’s so many amazing shows, so many amazing characters and stories, and so we’re just going to keep building on the momentum.”

Cook said the company’s entertainment strategy would continue to emphasize selectivity rather than attempting to match the programming volume of larger streaming competitors.

“Our role is to be the best. That’s our lane,” Cook said. “We’re not about the most.”

Apple is also open to additional entertainment partnerships when it believes its technology can provide a distinctive contribution, according to Cook. For example, for “F1,” the company developed custom cameras designed to capture footage from inside the race cars.

Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become CEO Sept. 1. Cook will remain with the company as executive chairman and assist with selected responsibilities, including the leadership transition and engagement with policymakers.