Apple TV Plus wants to build its library. The young streaming service started with only original programming, but is buying older TV series and movies to fill out its back catalog.

According to Bloomberg, Apple TV Plus is "looking to build a back catalog of content that can compete with the vast libraries of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus. The company has met with Hollywood studios to discuss licensing older content and has already purchased several movies and shows.

This follows reports earlier this year that Apple is in preliminary talks with MGM (the studio that owns the James Bond franchise) and the PAC-12 Conference to potentially provide the first live sports coverage for its streaming service.

Apple TV Plus has focused exclusively on original programming from the outset, with big money spent on big names like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Evans, and Oprah Winfrey. The streaming service launched in November with titles such as "The Morning Show" and "See, Dickinson," followed by acclaimed series such as "Defending Jacob" and the excellent documentary "The Beastie Boys Story" developed.

Apple CEO Tim Cook maintained that approach in February. He told shareholders that "Apple TV Plus is original programming, and I don't think it's right to just go for reruns."

But Apple TV Plus never really caught on. It failed to attract the kind of attention and subscriber base that Disney Plus, another new streaming service, achieved last fall; according to Bloomberg, through February, Apple TV Plus had only 10 million members, compared to 28.6 million for Disney Plus. million. Since Apple's figures include those who received a one-year free trial when they purchased the product, it stands to reason that only half of these 10 million people are actively using the streaming service.

What has made Disney Plus a huge success right from the start, and what has boosted Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video over the years, is a rich and vast library of older shows and movies. These streaming services have thousands or tens of thousands of titles, while Apple TV Plus has only about 30 or so original titles. And again, at $4.99 per month, it is cheaper than its competitors.

Now, Apple seems to be considering a shift in strategy, especially in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. First, more people than ever are looking for streaming content. And second, the production of most movies and TV shows has stopped, which has stalled the pipeline of new content. The acquisition or licensing of older shows and movies could fill that gap and give them a reason to keep subscribers after the free trial ends in the fall.

The Apple TV Plus will next debut with the animated musical comedy Central Park on May 29, followed by the documentaries Dear and Dad in June.