How come Apple services' free trials don't give you the option to cancel before trial ends without ending the trial?

[Capeto]

As title states, when you get a free trial of an Apple service (TV+, News+, Arcade), you don't have the option of cancelling the free trial without losing access to the service immediately, rather than at the end of the trial.

This seems pretty scummy, and has already backfired for me a couple of times. I accidentally cancelled my 1-year trial of Apple TV+ when I thought it would simply end the service at the end of the year, and just recently I got billed for a month of News+ (which I got a free trial for, used once, and never again) because I never got warned that my trial was expiring.

I just got a 3-month trial of Apple Arcade and don't want this happening again, so I'm setting a reminder this time, but it's still annoying that Apple won't offer this option.

 

[0128672]

There's clear language what happens if you cancel an Apple trial. For example, for Apple TV+, it states on the subscription page: "If you cancel, you will immediately lose access to Apple TV+ and the remainder of your free trial. You can't reactivate this trial." Not sure how much more explicit it would need to be. It's simply Apple's business model for trials. I'd hardly characterize it as "scummy."

 

[Erehy Dobon]

This doesn't strike me as "scummy" [sic] at all.

However expecting to receive something free that is offered to you as an incentive to pay yet not wanting to pay for smacks heavily of entitlement.

Note that there's a cost associated in providing "free" things. Even if you aren't paying for it, someone else is footing the bill.

This isn't specific to Apple.

In any case, if you want your free Apple trials, just put in a calendar event to cancel them before the initial renewal date. This is not rocket science.

 

[jwilliams57]

I purchased Apple TV subscription back in Aug 2020 at that time I had an older Apple TV box. Bought a new Apple TV box at Christmas, which came with a 1 yr free trial of Apple TV, but I cannot cancel my paid subscription ($4.99/month) without losing access to my free trial period. Wondering if there are any options. I am using the free trial and paying for my original subscription. Is there any way to stop paying and not lose my free trial. I'll start paying again when the trial is up, but I hate to pay every month for my original subscription, while I have a the free trial. Thoughts? Thanks

 

[Apple_Robert]

I purchased Apple TV subscription back in Aug 2020 at that time I had an older Apple TV box. Bought a new Apple TV box at Christmas, which came with a 1 yr free trial of Apple TV, but I cannot cancel my paid subscription ($4.99/month) without losing access to my free trial period. Wondering if there are any options. I am using the free trial and paying for my original subscription. Is there any way to stop paying and not lose my free trial. I'll start paying again when the trial is up, but I hate to pay every month for my original subscription, while I have a the free trial. Thoughts? Thanks

What you want can't be done with Apple TV.