Apple has folded Apple TV and Apple Arcade into every paid iCloud+ plan in more than 100 countries, effectively retiring those services as standalone subscriptions in those markets and reshaping how millions of users outside the West access Apple’s entertainment offerings.
Starting now, any iCloud+ subscriber in the covered countries, including those on the entry-level 50GB tier, gains access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade at no extra charge. Family Sharing extends that access to up to five additional members.
Existing standalone Apple TV or Arcade subscribers will be automatically migrated to iCloud+ and their individual subscriptions canceled, though Arcade game saves and progress will carry over.
The shift goes beyond a promotional bundle. Apple has confirmed that Apple TV and Apple Arcade will no longer be sold as separate subscriptions through Apple in these countries.
Apple One, the company’s broader services bundle, is also being wound down in these markets for new customers, though existing Apple One subscribers can keep their plans.
What’s included and who qualifies
The rollout covers a wide range of markets across Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe and the Pacific, including India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, and roughly 90 others.
Notably excluded are the countries where Apple generates the most services revenue: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and most of Europe.
Apple is also adding a lighter music feature called Apple Music Select, which offers ad-free Apple-curated radio stations.
The service is designed as an on-ramp to full Apple Music subscriptions, which Apple is offering at discounted rates in these markets.
In Mozambique, for example, Apple is quoting $2.79 per month for an individual Apple Music plan and $4.49 for a family plan.
Apple TV expands to 59 new countries
The restructuring also brings Apple TV to 59 countries where it wasn’t previously available, bringing the streaming service’s total footprint to 170 countries globally.
“We’re excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health.
“iCloud+ users can now securely store and share personal content across their devices, enjoy the absolute best in original storytelling from Apple TV, and explore an incredible lineup of hundreds of games through Apple Arcade.”
A two-tier strategy
Apple is taking a totally different approach outside major Western markets by tossing Apple TV and Apple Arcade straight into basic iCloud+ plans for free.
In regions where stacked subscription costs keep people from diving into the ecosystem, offering streaming and gaming alongside cloud storage makes picking up an iPhone a much easier sell.
Users in the US, UK, and Europe, meanwhile, continue to pay separately for each service or subscribe to Apple One at full price.
For users in the covered countries who subscribe to iCloud+ but not yet to Apple TV or Arcade, the upgrade is automatic and requires no action. Those currently paying only for Apple TV or Arcade but not for iCloud+ will receive notifications that their subscription has been converted to iCloud+.
