What you need to know
- Apple has shared its services highlights from 2020 from Apple TV+, Music, and more.
- It has also teased some of its upcoming plans.
Apple has today shared the 2020 highlights from its services including Apple TV+, Music, and more, as well as teasing some upcoming plans for 2021.
In a press release the company said:
As the world navigated an ever-changing new normal of virtual learning, grocery deliveries, and drive-by birthday celebrations, customers relied on Apple services in new ways, turning to expertly curated apps, news, music, podcasts, TV shows, movies, and more to stay entertained, informed, connected, and fit. Apps like ShareTheMeal, FaceTime, and Wakeout! inspired people to give back, stay in touch with loved ones, and take care of themselves. Ted lassoed the hearts of Apple TV+ viewers with his unremitting positive attitude, while Tom Hanks guided them through choppy waters in "Greyhound," and Apple Music fans searched for the "Dance Monkey" lyrics while watching their favorite artists livestream from their homes. There were podcasts like "SmartLess" and NPR's "Code Switch" to binge, Apple Arcade games like "Sneaky Sasquatch" to play, and a new favorite Apple Fitness+ workout waiting to be discovered. Apple's commitment to privacy and security provided a sense of reassurance, while the company's dedication to quality curation gave creators and developers an unparalleled platform to bring creative visions to life.
App Store
Apple says the most download apps in 2020 were Zoom and Disney+, along with popular games like 'Among Us' and 'Roblox. It says consumers spend $1.8 billion on digital goods and services from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve, including $540 million on New Year's Day.
Apple Music
Apple had a record year with its Music service, and says that 90% of iOS 14 listeners have used its new features on the platform:
Apple Music had a record year as people around the world spent more time discovering and engaging with music. The service released its biggest product update ever with features like Listen Now, an all-new Search, personal radio stations, and Autoplay. More than 90 percent of iOS 14 listeners have used these new features, and engagement with Apple Music's industry-leading lyrics feature has doubled in 2020.
Apple TV+
Apple did not share any user figures for its Apple TV app, but did note the number of awards its AppleTV+ originals have been nominated for:
Since its global launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ has been honored with 159 awards nominations and 45 wins and accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, Daytime Emmy Awards, a SAG Award, an NAACP Image Award, a Peabody Award, Critics Choice Award, Critics Choice Documentary Awards, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, Cinema Eye Award, Kidscreen Awards, and more.
Apple also noted that there are plenty of titles to look forward to in 2021, some of which we've never heard of before!
Looking ahead to early 2021, customers can enjoy second seasons of Apple Originals "Dickinson," "Servant," and "For All Mankind," as well as new series "Losing Alice," and highly anticipated films "Palmer" and "Cherry," and the documentary, "Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry." Throughout the year, Apple TV+ will also premiere new stories from the world's biggest storytellers, including "The Mosquito Coast," "Lisey's Story," "Foundation," "Schmigadoon!," "Severance," and "Pachinko," as well as new seasons of returning favorites like "The Morning Show" and "See."
Apple also shared information about its other services including Books, Podcasts, Fitness+, Apple Pay, and Apple Arcade:
Apple Pay is the easier and safer way to pay in stores using just an iPhone or Apple Watch, and now, more than 90 percent of stores in the US, 85 percent of stores in the UK, and 99 percent of stores in Australia accept Apple Pay, so customers can leave their physical cards at home. With shopping increasingly moving online, Apple Pay also provides the fastest and most secure way to order online.
You can read the full press release here.
