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Apple (AAPL) Expands TV+ Content with First All-Spanish Series

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Apple (AAPL - Free Report) is expanding Apple TV+'s content with its first-ever all-Spanish series, Midnight Family. The 10-episode medical drama is based on an award-winning documentary of the same name, per 9TO5Mac.

The drama follows the life of Marigaby Tamayo, played by Renata Vaca, who spends her nights saving lives throughout Mexico City aboard her family’s privately owned ambulance.

Currently in production in Mexico City, Midnight Family is produced by Fremantle and Fabula for Apple TV+. Created for television by Gibrán Portela and Julio Rojas, and written by Portela, the series is being directed by Natalia Beristáin.

Apple TV+ has been lagging due to the lack of shows against the likes of Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) , The Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) .

According to recent report from JustWatch, cited by 9TO5Mac, in February 2022, the global market share of Apple TV+ was 5.6%, which is far behind major competitors like Disney+ and Netflix.

Apple has been trying to expand its footprints in different genres to attract viewers. Apple TV+ recently gained the rights to stream weekly Major League Baseball (“MLB”) games, including two Friday night games.  

The announcement of the Apple-MLB deal marks Apple’s entry into the lucrative live sports market currently dominated by the likes of Disney (through ESPN and Fox Sports), NBC and CBS. Streaming service providers like Apple and Amazon are new entrants in this market space.

Amazon, however, is well ahead of Apple in the scenario. In 2021, the National Football League announced a new series of long-term TV deals, including a contract with Amazon, under which the latter's streaming service, Prime Video, became the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football, beginning with the 2022 season.

Apple is also expanding its non-fiction shows’ portfolio. Apple TV+ recently won the rights to a new feature documentary about the life and career of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton.

The latest documentary joins upcoming non-fiction shows on the platform like They Call Me Magic, a series about the life and career of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, along with a documentary about Sidney Poitier, executive produced by Oprah Winfrey.

Apple has also shown intent of expanding its footprint in the kids and family genre. The company has inked a multi-year partnership with Skydance Animation. Apple also signed Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai for a number of projects, including a kid-oriented show.

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