Apple is in talks with Barb, the British TV ratings organization, which suggests advertising may be coming to Apple TV+.

According to Apple, executives recently spoke with Barb to explore methods for tracking ads on Apple TV+. The Telegraph.

Barb is owned by broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. It currently provides official viewing figures for UK TV. It already tracks how much time viewers spend on Apple TV+, but additional data collection techniques would be needed to monitor advertising.

The development suggests that Apple could join other rival streaming services in taking on advertising. In March, Apple hired Joseph Cady, a former NBCUniversal ad executive, to bolster its advertising department. Apple has previously sold commercials during its coverage of Major League Soccer, some for as much as $4 million.

Unlike Netflix, Disney and Amazon Prime, which have introduced cheaper, ad-supported subscriptions, Apple has yet to launch a similar offering. It was recently rumored that the company had drastically cut back on Apple TV+ content after spending $20 billion.

Netflix is ​​thriving with its lower-cost ad-supported tier and plans to be the first in Canada to introduce the new ad technology. Netflix’s most recent quarter saw a 34% increase in subscribers to its lower-cost ad tier.

Apple TV+ costs $12.99/month in Canada and is also included with select Apple One plans. If a cheaper ad-supported tier launched for $5.99/month like Netflix, you can bet more people would subscribe to give it a try.