Apple TV plans UK ads

In March, the iPhone maker hired Joseph Cady, a former NBCUniversal advertising executive, to bolster its advertising division.

Apple has previously run ads on its streaming service, including selling ad space during its coverage of Major League Soccer last year for a reported $4m (£3.1m).

However, a full-blown ad-supported tier has yet to launch. Netflix, Disney and Amazon Prime have all introduced cheaper ad-supported tiers on their streaming platforms in recent months.

The move into the advertising market is a move by streaming services to boost revenue and grow subscriber numbers after a cost-of-living crisis and fierce competition prompted many consumers to cancel their subscriptions.

Netflix this month reported record revenue of $9.6 billion for the most recent quarter, helped by a 34 percent increase in ad-supported subscribers.

However, the event comes at a time of tougher times for Apple, which has reportedly begun cutting back on production spending after spending more than $20 billion on original films and TV shows.

Data released by Kantar last week also suggests that subscriber growth is slowing. After taking the top spot for new subscriber acquisitions in the UK for the past six months, Apple TV+ fell to fourth in Q2 with a 12% share.

While Netflix was initially reluctant to release viewership data, the switch to advertising has forced streaming providers to be more transparent about viewer numbers.

Both Netflix and Disney have been monitored by Barb for several years, and Amazon signed a deal with the ratings agency in May.

Telegraph Last year, it was revealed that YouTube was in talks to join Barb. However, the discussions turned into a row after broadcasters accused the video platform of “massaging” viewership.

It is known that YouTube is still not a member because Barb is not convinced that the company meets industry standards for measuring viewership.

Barb declined to comment. Apple has been contacted for comment.