Apple is making a significant change to its subscription strategy in the UAE, bundling Apple TV and Apple Arcade directly into iCloud+ at no additional charge. The expanded plans begin rolling out this month, with iCloud+ continuing to start at AED 3.99 per month for 50GB of storage.
The change effectively turns Apple’s entry-level cloud storage subscription into a broader entertainment bundle. UAE subscribers will receive access to Apple TV’s catalogue of original films and series alongside more than 200 games available through Apple Arcade, while retaining the existing storage, sharing and privacy features associated with iCloud+.
That makes the AED 3.99 starting price particularly notable. Apple TV and Apple Arcade previously operated as separate paid subscriptions, meaning users primarily interested in either service will now get considerably more for the cost of Apple’s cheapest iCloud+ tier. Family Sharing also allows an iCloud+ subscription to be shared with up to five family members.
Apple TV brings shows and films including Severance, Ted Lasso, The Studio, Pluribus and CODA to the bundle. Apple Arcade, meanwhile, includes games such as Football Manager 26 Touch, NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition, Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition, Hello Kitty Island Adventure and Sneaky Sasquatch. Arcade games remain free from advertising and in-app purchases and are playable across supported iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV devices.
Apple is also adding Apple Music Select to iCloud+ in the UAE. This provides ad-free, Apple-programmed music stations, although it shouldn’t be confused with a full Apple Music subscription. Existing iCloud+ features remain available, including additional cloud storage, privacy tools and functionality associated with Apple Invites.
The bigger story is what happens to Apple’s existing subscription lineup. Apple TV and Apple Arcade will no longer be sold by Apple as standalone subscriptions in the UAE. Existing individual subscribers will have those subscriptions cancelled while retaining access to the services through iCloud+, with Apple saying Arcade game progress and saved data will carry over.
Apple One is changing too. The all-in-one subscription bundle will no longer be offered to new customers in the UAE once the new iCloud+ package arrives. Existing Apple One subscribers can continue using their current plans. That creates an unusual transition period where longtime subscribers may remain on Apple One while new customers are pushed toward the expanded iCloud+ offering.
The UAE is part of a much wider rollout covering more than 100 countries and regions by the end of September, including Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore and Türkiye. Apple says the expansion will also bring Apple TV to 59 additional countries, taking the streaming service to 170 markets worldwide.
For UAE customers, the revamped iCloud+ is less a routine storage upgrade than a restructuring of Apple’s services business. At AED 3.99 per month, the entry-level plan now combines cloud storage, streaming television and premium gaming, making iCloud+ a substantially different proposition — and leaving Apple’s former collection of separate subscriptions considerably simpler.
