'Severance' may have made $200 million, but Apple doesn't have to care
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"Severance" -- image credit: Apple. A sketchy report claims to have calculated the precise income Apple TV+ has made from key shows like "Severance," but the figure appear to be guesses that ignore how the company's business model is different to all other streamers.
"Severance" is unquestionably a much-talked about hit for Apple TV+, but aside from a Blu-ray release, the only income it can provide Apple is from the number of subscribers it attracts to the streamer. Apple has yet to release any subscriber numbers at all, but according to Deadline, one company is saying it has calculated the financial value of Apple TV+ shows.
Research firm Parrot Analytics has not made its full report public, and shares no details of what it calls its Content Valuation methodology. Unlike any other streamer, though, the only revenue stream for Apple TV+ is subscription. There are a very few physical media releases of Apple TV+ series, but those appear to be driven by licencing agreements that the originating production company negotiates. Apple does not have a distribution arm making Blu-ray deals.
It's possible, too, that Apple could be getting income from where its service is shown in bundles with other streamers and television services, such as Canal+, or on airlines such as Air Canada. If Apple is being paid for those instead of just using them to spread its reach further, then neither Apple nor the bundling companies are reporting the sums.
Consequently, Parrot Analytics' calculation must be based on how subscriber numbers are believed to increase around the launch of specific shows or episodes. While it's not clear how accurate Parrot Analytics' estimates of this can be, but as long as its sourcing is consistent, the company could be expected to determine whether one show drew more subscribers than another.
