Apple TV+ to be free in Taiwan from Jan. 3-5

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) Access to Apple TV+ will be free for users in Taiwan from Jan. 3-5, as part of a worldwide promotion announced Tuesday.

In a statement on its website, Apple Inc. said anyone with an Apple ID will be able to log in on compatible devices to all Apple TV+'s services during the promotional period.

In Taiwan, the monthly subscription fee of Apple TV+ is NT$250 (US$7.63), lower than rivals Netflix and Disney+.

Market analysts said with competition in the smartphone market escalating to affect iPhone sales, Apple has set its sights on the software and service businesses to offset the impact on the hardware business.

According to market information advisory firm JustWatch, Apple TV+ held a roughly 8 percent share in the United States in the third quarter of this year, lagging far behind market leader Amazon Prime Video's 22 percent, and second-placed Netflix's 21 percent.