Apple has expanded its iCloud+ subscription in Kenya to include Apple TV and Apple Arcade at no additional cost, bringing the streaming service to the country for the first time.
The change means Kenyans who pay for any iCloud+ storage plan will gain access to Apple’s streaming service and gaming platform without taking out separate subscriptions.
Apple announced the expansion on September 15, saying the new iCloud+ offering will roll out across more than 100 countries and regions by the end of September.
“Starting this month, iCloud+ subscribers in Kenya will gain access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade as part of their iCloud+ subscription — at no additional cost,” Apple said.
The company is expanding Apple TV to 59 new countries through the rollout, taking its global availability to 170 countries. Kenya is among the newly added markets.
The development marks a significant change for Kenyan Apple users because Apple TV had not previously been offered as an official standalone subscription in the country.
Instead of launching the streaming service with a separate monthly charge, Apple has attached it to its existing paid cloud-storage service.
The cheapest iCloud+ plan in Kenya remains the 50GB package at $0.99 per month, equivalent to about Sh128. Apple has not increased the storage subscription price to accommodate the new services. The higher storage plans also receive the entertainment benefits.
The 200GB plan costs $3.49 per month, while the 2TB, 6TB and 12TB plans cost $11.99, $34.99 and $69.99 respectively. Every paid tier receives Apple TV and Apple Arcade in the participating markets.
That means a Kenyan user does not need to pay a separate Apple TV bill on top of their iCloud+ subscription.
Apple TV gives subscribers access to Apple’s catalogue of original television series, films, documentaries and children’s programming. The catalogue includes popular productions such as Severance, Ted Lasso, The Studio and Pluribus, alongside films including CODA and F1.
Apple says new releases will continue to arrive each week, giving subscribers access to the company’s growing collection of original productions.
The package also includes Apple Arcade, which offers hundreds of games across supported Apple devices. Apple Arcade games do not carry advertisements or in-app purchases, giving users access to the catalogue under the same iCloud+ subscription.
The value of the Kenyan package also extends beyond the person paying for iCloud+. Apple’s Family Sharing feature allows an iCloud+ subscription to be shared with up to five family members.
That means one paid plan can provide cloud storage and access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade for several members of the same family, depending on their devices and the services available to them.
The arrangement gives households another reason to use a shared Apple subscription instead of paying separately for multiple entertainment accounts.
Apple is also changing how it handles standalone Apple Arcade subscriptions in participating markets. Apple says Apple TV and Apple Arcade will no longer be available as individual subscriptions directly through Apple in the affected countries.
Existing individual subscribers will continue receiving access through their iCloud+ subscription, while their old standalone subscriptions will be cancelled. Apple also says Apple Arcade users will retain their game progress and saved data.
The expanded offering comes with another music-related feature.
Apple is introducing Apple Music Select, which gives iCloud+ users access to curated, ad-free radio stations through the Apple Music app. It does not provide the full on-demand Apple Music experience. Users who want the complete Apple Music catalogue still need a separate subscription.
