Apple TV+ is having an especially good year. Severance was a mainstream hit that somehow exceeded Ted Lassos success. The streamer had just come off a long string of other critical hits too, and Apples follow-through with shows post-Severance has been especially strong. After years of being called the new HBO, I think Apple TV+ may have finally started earning that reputation.Its not easy to create the next HBO, as Apple quickly learnedWhen Apple TV+ first debuted in 2019, Apple hyped it up as the new home for the worlds most creative storytellers. Prestige was the goal from the start.Apples services head Eddy Cue, in an early Apple TV+ press release, put it this way:Apple TV+ will be home to some of the highest quality original storytelling that TV and movie lovers have seen yet.The streamer famouslyor infamouslylaunched on November 1, 2019 with only nine titles available to subscribers. No library of content, only original shows and movies.Apples content goal was clear: not the most, but the best.The launch lineup included:The Morning ShowSeeDickinsonFor All Mankindplus three childrens shows, a documentary, and an Oprah specialPer Zack Van Amburg, one of the top Apple TV+ execs:With Apple TV+, we are presenting all-original stories from the best, brightest and most creative minds, and we know viewers will find their new favorite show or movie on our service.Unfortunately, the launch slate didnt prove as compelling to critics or viewers as Apple had hoped.Reviews werent altogether bad, but they also werent nearly positive enough to live up to Apples hype.Apple TV+ wanted to be the new HBO with its prestige content, but it stumbled out of the gate.Apple TV+ is finally earning that HBO-level prestigeFor most of its 5+ year run, Id argue Apple TV+ has had a higher than average hit rate for its new shows and movies. Meaning, it mostly makes high quality content.But until recently, its still struggled in two areas:consistencyquantityApple TV+ has made some really great shows. Its also made its fair share of expensive yet mediocre shows. Consistency has been a challenge.Even when Apples shows have succeeded, its typically one at a time. As a long-time subscriber, its been rare for Apple TV+ to air more than one series I cared about at a time.But for almost a year now, the streamer has improved on both fronts.Apple TV+ has been debuting top-tier shows one after another since at least last summerAnd for much of that time, its had multiple compelling shows running at onceWith Severance wrapped up, The Studio and Dope Thief have been very strong follow-ups to keep subscribers hooked. And Jon Hamms Your Friends & Neighbors is coming next week.All this to say: I think that new HBO title is starting to fit Apple TV+ pretty well.Apple needs to keep up its strong hit rate, and prove this past year hasnt been a fluke.But right now? Apple TV+ looks a lot like the new HBO to me.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking. You can alsowatch free in several ways.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel