Apple stays ad-free on TV while rivals push ‘pause ads’ to the limit

Apple has made its stance clear — there are “no plans” for an ad-supported tier on Apple TV+. But elsewhere in the streaming world, the ad invasion is taking a new form: the pause ad. Increasingly, the moment you hit pause has become prime real estate for marketers.

A new Variety report outlines how nearly every major streaming platform — from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to Disney+ and Peacock — is experimenting with or expanding pause ads. These ads appear whenever a user pauses a show or film, transforming what used to be a break into a monetisable opportunity.

Peacock was among the first to go all in, offering full-screen pause ads since its launch. Netflix has followed suit with a hybrid approach, sometimes using half-screen visuals that incorporate elements from the show itself. Warner Bros. Discovery, which initially limited ads to a small on-screen corner, is now testing full-screen versions in global markets to gauge viewer tolerance.

Even Disney, traditionally conservative with ad formats, is testing a more interactive approach called “Pause+.” Viewers can choose to expand the ad into a full-screen experience that may include trivia games or coupons sent directly to their email; a sign of how far interactivity in streaming ads is evolving.