Looks Like Apple TV+ Will Finally Come to Android Devices
Brian Welk
Sometimes rivals need to set differences aside in the interest of chasing more subscribers. Apple seems to be doing just that, sending a strong hint that it wants to develop an Apple TV+ app for rival Android devices.
Apple last week posted a job listing for an “Android Software Engineer – Apple TV App.” The listing calls for a “senior android engineer to lead the development of fun new features,” and it specifically mentions building an app that can let millions watch and discover television and sports. And if you’re based in San Diego, that could be you.
Reps for Apple did not respond for a request for comment.
Apple TV+ is available on non-Apple devices such as Google Chromecast, Roku, Playstation, XBox, and smart TVs by LG, Samsung, Vizio, and more via the Apple TV app. Some of those even run on the Android operating system (owned by Google).
But if you have an Android phone or tablet, you’ve been unable to stream “Ted Lasso” ever since the launch of Apple TV+ in 2019, when Apple specifically decided to skip building an app for Androids. The company wanted to be able to say that iPhone and iPad are the only places where you can watch 2022 Best Picture winner “CODA,” and that’s been a decent marketing tool so far.
To clarify, the Apple TV app supports the rental and purchase of movies and shows through PVOD, it provides access to other channels, and it even gives access to Apple’s standalone MLS subscription, all of which are independent of the shows and movies Apple offers through its TV+ subscription. It’s quite possible that this new app, whenever it’s designed, could only be limited to PVOD and black out access to TV+, or it could finally unlock everything Apple has to offer even if you didn’t buy one of their devices.
Frankly, it’s rare that Apple ever designs any apps for Android, which directly competes with Apple (and even outnumbers it in users) with its own iOS. Apple Music is available on Android, but FaceTime and Messaging aren’t.
Apple has never disclosed how many subscribers it has just for TV+. The best we get is reporting on the collective Apple Services encompassing Apple Music, News, Arcade, Fitness, and TV+. Last quarter, the division saw record revenue of $23.1 billion. Last August, the combined group surpassed 1 billion subscribers for any of the services combined. You can also get several months of free access to TV+ when you buy a new phone or tablet. But it’s estimated by third parties though that Apple TV+ on its own has somewhere in the range of 25 million subs paying for it regularly, not including promotions.
Apple has been fine with TV+ a loss leader — so long as it helps sell iPhones — though that position could be changing. Puck recently reported TV+ heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht met with CEO Tim Cook to discuss budgets, the gap between viewers and content spend, and Apple’s recent $1 billion foray into movie theaters. Sounds like a call to the principal’s office to us.
Becoming available on three million more devices is a good way to start getting more eyeballs on your content. (Apple TV+ content is generally considered to be high quality, but it’s a relatively small library.) And Apple has already teased some ways in which the company is trying to expand its reach and change its fortunes, including partnering with Peacock and Netflix on the StreamSaver bundle, as well as reportedly pitching a new means for paying creators.
Or it could start putting ads on Apple TV+ and be the last streamer to that party.
