T-Mobile Magenta Max customers now get free Apple TV Plus

T-Mobile paved the way for tying mobile and entertainment services together, but now competitors like Verizon are doing the same to encourage their customers to stick around. With that in mind, T-Mobile is trying to sweeten the pot a little more with the free Apple TV Plus. The new perk will be available to customers on the company's Magenta Max plan from August 31.

Thankfully for T-Mobile customers, getting Apple's service doesn't have to mean giving up on Netflix. The carrier will continue to offer its long-running "Netflix on Us" deal, which likewise provides free streaming access as long as you're a T-Mobile subscriber. Just keep in mind that the Netflix perk is limited to the basic, standard definition tier for most plans, unless you're on a multi-line Magenta Max plan. Whereas you will get full 4K streaming even on the single-line Max plan with Apple TV Plus.

T-Mobile was previously offering a free year of Apple TV Plus on several eligible T-Mobile and Sprint plans. But as access will continue for Max customers, the promotion will be halved to six months for other plans like the standard magenta tier. In addition to Apple TV Plus and Netflix, T-Mobile also offers a free year of Paramount Plus, as well as monthly discounts on YouTube TV and Philo TV, both of which are $10 off for one year.

While it won't give you Netflix or Apple TV Plus, Verizon's big counter to T-Mobile is the inclusion of Disney bundles -- which include Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus -- with its 5G Get More and 5G Play More Unlimited plans. Verizon also offers Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, and other incentives depending on the plan.

According to the latest tests from PCMag, both T-Mobile and Verizon are now offering wider 5G coverage and faster performance. AT&T lags somewhat in urban areas, but that could end in the next few years. Since mobile data speeds are the same between them all, these entertainment and streaming bonuses can move customers to one carrier or the other. However, AT&T isn't showing interest in pursuing the same strategy. After the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, the carrier stopped including complimentary HBO Max with its plans.

Last week, T-Mobile and SpaceX revealed their plans to bring satellite connectivity to mobile phones in 2023. "Coverage Above and Beyond" aims to eliminate signal dead zones and provide sufficient data throughput for text and messaging in those areas. Not possible at the moment. T-Mobile has stated that "most smartphones already on T-Mobile's network will be compatible with the new service."