Apple TV faced an unprecedented service outage on Thursday night, just right after the highly anticipated Apple TV original Pluribus debuted, which is a new series from the creator of Breaking Bad. Many subscribers who attempted to stream the premiere were instead met with error messages as the platform appeared to fail under the initial user demand.
According to Bloomberg, the disruption began shortly after the first two episodes of the new drama went live. Reports of service failures started to surge around 10:30 p.m. ET. Downdetector, a service that monitors online disruptions, documented nearly 13,000 reports from users across the United States and Canada.
Apple later updated its official system status page, acknowledging the issue and stating that it was under investigation. The outage was not isolated to Apple TV; the company also noted concurrent problems with Apple Music and Apple Arcade, indicating a broader disruption to its online services.
This incident represents a significant setback for Apple, which had heavily promoted Pluribus as a major exclusive attraction. In the highly competitive streaming market, Apple TV contends with established platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. Apple’s services division has become a key driver of growth for the Cupertino company, posting a record $28.8 billion in sales during the September quarter. Apple’s growth strategy relies heavily on expanding its premium subscription base, and service stability is paramount to achieving that goal.
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