Apple has removed the plus sign from its streaming service, rebranding from Apple TV+ to Apple TV as part of what the company described as a vibrant new identity for the platform. The change creates potential confusion as Apple TV is already the name of the company’s connected television hardware device and streaming application.

Branding experts suggest the simplified naming reflects how streaming has become ubiquitous, reducing the need to distinguish between traditional broadcast and on-demand content. The plus sign originally signalled premium, ad-free original content when the service launched.

Apple is not alone in moving away from the plus naming convention. A news streaming service that closed shortly after launching has announced its return under a different name, while a sports streaming service was discontinued during an application rollout earlier this year.

Industry observers note that the plus naming trend emerged when streaming services sought to create distinction between broadcast television and on-demand content. Multiple entertainment companies adopted the symbol, though it carried different meanings across services.

Branding specialists point to historical patterns where new technology markers become redundant once technology achieves mainstream adoption. Early internet companies frequently added prefixes to signal digital offerings, a practice that eventually appeared dated.

The rebrand places communication responsibility on users who must now distinguish between Apple’s hardware device, streaming application and streaming service, all sharing the same name. The shift away from streaming-specific naming conventions indicates the sector’s maturation.