While they have never publicly released subscriber numbers, it is said Apple told the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) they have fewer than 20 million US and Canadian subscribers.
According to a CNBC report, that allows them to pay workers less than bigger streaming platforms like Netflix, who said they had 209 million subscribers in August.
With demand for streaming services going through the roof during the pandemic, and negotiations with production companies stalling, the IATSE have been pushed “to a breaking point” and are preparing to strike.