Apple TV+ is turning into a hitmaker

April 09, 2022

Ted Lasso wasn't a fluke.

Apple TV+ scored its first big hit with that screwball sports comedy, but now it's got not one but three simultaneous winners on its hands:

  1. Severance, a weird, sci-fi-tinged thriller that just wrapped its mind-wiping first season (and got renewed for a second one).

  2. CODA, the charming, Oscar-winning film about a teen girl who is the only hearing member of a deaf family.

  3. And now Slow Horses, the spy series starring a flatulent Gary Oldman that premiered April 1.

All three of them ranked in the top 10 across streaming services last week. It's been a slow start, but after a couple of years, Apple TV+ is finally a serious streaming contender.

– Lewis Wallace, managing editor

P.S. Also this week: We've got a date for WWDC22 (hear our predictions for Apple's big event in our podcast). Plus, iWork adds major new features, more juicy Apple rumors spill, and Ukrainians use Find My to watch Russian troop movements in real time.

News and opinion

CODA, Severance and Slow Horses all showed up in this week’s top 10 most-watched movies and TV shows. Each is from Apple TV+, and they show the streaming service has become a strong competitor against Netflix, Hulu and Disney+. Perhaps this will silence any lingering doubts about Apple's foray into film and TV.

The 2022 iteration of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference will showcase the latest innovations in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS.

After invading soldiers steal Apple gear from Ukrainian civilians, the devices’ owners can watch Russian troop movements in real time.

Both iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini suffered “dismal” sales, and Apple already cut orders for its revised iPhone SE due to weaker-than-expected demand.

Plus, more Apple rumors:

The just-released Pages 12.0, Numbers 12.0 and Keynote 12.0 offer a variety of new features, including much finer control over font sizes in the iPad and iPhone versions. (There's new stuff for Mac owners, too.)

The Apple Tax is real. Apple really does overcharge for some of its products. Nowhere is that clearer than with Apple’s 1.8-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable that costs double what it should. But you don’t have to pay the tax.

Here’s a word to the wise: Always carry your charged iPhone, and don’t ski or snowboard “off-piste” in the Alps at 10,000 feet by yourself. Tim Blakey got the first part right, just barely, and that’s why he’s alive today.

How-tos

New Apple TV+ show Friday Night Baseball doesn't require a subscription (at least for now). It presents two marquee games a week, along with live pre- and postgame coverage. Here’s how to watch it.

The Mac offers a lot of options for taking screenshots and recording screen captures without installing any third-party apps. Here's how to get 'er done the right way.

Deals

EasySelfie from SwitchEasy is an iPhone selfie stick and tripod in one that could greatly improve your on-the-go photography game. Sale ends today!

When you’re doing something worth recording, a big, distracting camera is a great way to ruin the moment. The Insta360 Go 2 action cam won't slow you down.

Plus, more gadgets from Cult of Mac Deals:

Everyone needs a professional website, but not everyone has the time or coding prowess to create their own from scratch. The answer? Grab a lifetime subscription to PixelHost WordPress Hosting for just $59.

The Mac Productivity App Bundle & Lifetime Access to StackSkills gives you tools and courses that can change how much you get done in a day. And for a limited time, it’s on sale for $49 (regularly $1,511).

Plus, more software from Cult of Mac Deals:

Reviews

This week's episode makes excellent use of every second of its pulse-pounding airtime. The perfectly curated frames give way to woozy chaos as Lumon Industries workers Irving, Mark and Helly experience the outside world for the “first” time.

Plus, more Apple TV+ recaps:

Think of the Chipolo Card Spot as a very flat AirTag. Put either device into something valuable and you’ll be able to locate it with your iPhone, whether it’s lost in your home or out in the world. But the Card Spot is slim enough to go into your wallet.

If you need an Apple Watch band that’s tough enough for anything you might throw at it, BluShark’s Cordura bands are a terrific choice. They’re immensely durable, and surprisingly comfortable (thanks to a soft leather backing).

With its silky-smooth rubber coating and advanced impact technology, Laut’s brilliant Huex case is all you need to keep your iPhone 13 safe and scratchless.

Setups

The owner of this setup seems over the moon about the new addition to her workstation, which is centered by an M1 MacBook Air and an LG display.

Some workstations are cleaned up for the arrival of a major new addition and made ready for the one photo where they’ll look their Sunday best. That’s likely the case with this setup, with its dark-stained woods and its lights just so. After all, it just got a brand new Mac Studio.

This great-looking setup already boasts dual displays. What will happen when one of Apple's brand-new monitors enters the mix?