Apple’s streaming service, Apple TV+, continues to rack up awards and garner business status. How widespread the service is strictly stays unclear, though Apple exhibits did seem on the Nielsen charts streaming 3 times this yr.

However precisely how a lot content material did Apple launch in complete this yr? By our depend, Apple launched 50 unique TV exhibits and films in 2023, total. A stable determine, nevertheless it’s truly down 10% in comparison with 2022. There are some causes for the year-over-year slowdown and Apple’s total dedication to producing unique content material seems sturdy …

The 50 complete consists of all new Apple originals streaming on Apple TV+ throughout the calendar yr (and in contrast to different companies, Apple is but to take away any content material).

Out of these 50, 38 are TV exhibits and 12 are motion pictures or one-off specials, spanning grownup drama, comedy, documentary, household and children genres. Though Apple doesn’t share official viewing figures, a number of the largest hits of the yr embody Hijack, Silo, and Shrinking.

Returning seasons of a TV collection will not be counted within the 50 determine. Additionally any again catalog library content material (of which Apple has very sparingly licensed) are additionally excluded. Apple TV+’s Nielsen appearances have been from new collection premiere Hijack, and the returning seasons of Ted Lasso and The Morning Present.

Fifty originals is nearly one per week, which appears to be Apple’s tough (albeit unofficial) benchmark for cadence. In 2022, the entire was 56, reflecting the comparatively larger content material output ranges. In the event you did depend TV present seasons individually, the general pattern stays the identical (with totals of 84 and 72 originals in 2022 and 2023). Both method, it’s nonetheless down round 10%.

The most important cause for the decline is the impression of the Hollywood actors and writers strikes. The unions fought with studios over streaming residuals, the usage of synthetic intelligence and different issues. The labor motion was so protracted, that a lot of Hollywood was shut down for about half of this yr. New contract phrases have been ultimately agreed in September and November, and whereas some work has resumed, the enterprise isn’t anticipated to be in full swing till the brand new yr.

Because the strikes hit in the summertime, studios noticed their manufacturing pipelines in jeopardy and reacted accordingly. This included extending out their launch schedules, which meant that some accomplished titles that may have probably initially premiered in 2023 have been as a substitute pushed to subsequent yr. We noticed this occur with a few of Apple exhibits like Manhunt and Palm Royale (which now have confirmed spring 2024 releases).

Along with spacing out the rollout of tasks within the can, the actors strike additionally impaired the flexibility for studios to do advertising. Stars couldn’t promote their work on purple carpets, seem on late evening speak exhibits, do interviews with the press, or speak about their tasks on social media. This was one more reason for launch dates to be delayed, as studios most popular to attend till they might give upcoming titles the complete backing of a large advertising marketing campaign, particularly these that includes excessive profile actors.

Even earlier than the strike although, the streaming business was seeing a retraction. Corporations have been pulling again spending because the monetary realities of a higher-interest charge setting set in. Buyers needed to see backside line returns, not simply subscriber numbers go up. This issue is much less related to Apple although. Apple remains to be within the midst of rising its content material library from scratch, and might finance manufacturing debt-free for eternity due to its wildly profitably {hardware} companies. It additionally had merely invested much less in streaming total than rivals like Disney, Warner Bros and Netflix. Certainly, the pattern and tempo of Apple’s future releases roadmap seems comparatively unchanged, no less than for now.

Nevertheless, we did see Apple undertake a major technique shift for its motion pictures division, and that did play a job in lowering the general variety of 2023 titles on the service. This yr, Apple has begun taking its big-budget unique motion pictures to cinemas first, with an unique theatrical run at 1000’s of screens worldwide. Apple sees the field workplace window as a strategy to construct extra consciousness for its movies, whereas recouping a number of the manufacturing prices on the identical time.

Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon are the primary two examples of this technique in motion. They premiered in theaters in October and November respectively, however are nonetheless not streaming on Apple TV+. As such, they don’t seem to be counted within the 50 complete. These movies are anticipated to reach on Apple TV+ within the new yr, though Apple remains to be but to announce a agency date. (In 2024, Apple TV+ theatrical motion pictures debuts will embody Argylle, Wolfs, and Challenge Artemis.)

It’s so arduous to quantify the success metrics for Apple TV+ as a service, as a result of Apple doesn’t share numbers about viewership and subscribers, nor do we all know precisely what Apple’s objectives are.

Showing on the Nielsen prime ten charts 3 times this yr was a optimistic signal. And from the awards perspective, Apple is about for a really sturdy exhibiting on the subsequent Oscars due to the important popularity of Killers of the Flower Moon and its star-studded main forged.

It does look like the general base of Apple TV+ subscribers continues to develop, albeit slowly. If it was a standalone firm, it will in all probability not survive. However Apple appears greater than prepared to persevere with the efforts, and it has the cash to take action.

For posterity, right here’s all fifty of the brand new originals Apple launched this yr (in date order):

To get a way of what’s coming to the service, take a look at our unique present information to see all of the Apple TV exhibits and films already introduced for 2024.