During its nearly six years on the market, Apple TV+ has been referred to by some as “the new HBO.” But this year might be when Apple has truly started to prove that claim. Here’s why.
Emmy nominations show Apple TV+ ahead in quality, while HBO boasts higher quantity
Whatever your opinion of Apple TV+, it’s hard to dispute that 2025 has been an especially good year for the streamer.
Apple TV+ has achieved new levels of both mainstream awareness and critical success. It’s putting out consistently better content than before, and more people are watching.
That’s why earlier this year I wrote that the streamer was truly earning its “new HBO” reputation.
And now, recent analysis of this year’s Emmy nominations supports the claim.
Joe Reid writes at Vulture:
Apple is the only network or platform with multiple nominees in both Comedy Series (The Studio and Shrinking) and Drama Series (Severance and Slow Horses) […] HBO remains the gold standard in prestige television…but Apple is more than keeping pace in the areas that get the most attention. For the major acting categories (lead and supporting across comedy, drama, and limited series), Apple landed 22 nominations to HBO’s 17.
Despite HBO and Netflix both scoring more nominations than Apple TV+ overall, Apple is clearly finding success with its “quality over quantity” strategy.
Severance and The Studio favored to win two biggest awards
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