Editorial Note: This article originally appeared on iMore.
The news that Apple is finally looking to release a mobile version of its Apple TV app for Android will surely come as good news to some. For years, Android users who want to access Apple TV, and the plethora of high-quality content on Apple TV Plus, have been stuck visiting tv.apple.com and making do with a Progressive Web App, a pale imitation of using an app. Either that, or jumping the fence and picking up an Apple device, or hoping that their smart TV supports Apple’s streaming service.
Upon reflection, bringing Apple TV as a mobile app to Android is a stroke of genius. Or at least, it would have been had Apple done this five years ago. Now, the more I think about it, the more I can’t help but think that Apple has lost valuable time and ground in the market. Apple should have brought an Apple TV app to Android years ago, the same way it brought Apple Music to Android. The reasons why should be obvious.
Apple TV on Android: Better late than never
While Apple Music and Apple TV are excellent services, they aren’t reasons to buy into the Apple experience. No one goes out and buys Apple’s best iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, because it ships with Apple TV and Apple Music. Both might be services, but they’re much less appealing as ecosystem USPs in the way that iCloud, or even the Find My network, might be.
So if no one is choosing the iPhone because of Apple TV and Apple Music (the latter of course being platform agnostic), then why not bring Apple TV, and by extension Apple TV Plus, to the masses? Without an Android app, Apple is leaving the custom of an estimated 3 billion Android users on the table.
While the iPhone might be king in the U.S., Android enjoys a 70% market share globally, a goldmine of untapped services revenue ripe for the taking. No self-respecting Android user would ever jump ship for an iPhone just to get a taste of Apple TV Plus, but they might well sign up for it (or one of Apple’s myriad free trials) on Android given the choice. If they’re impressed by Apple’s slate of quality content, then perhaps they’ll stick with it and pay the monthly subscription fee, too.
If Apple’s really serious about service revenue, Apple TV Plus on Android is a no-brainer. The best Apple TV Plus shows include Ted Lasso, Silo, Masters of the Air, Slow Horses, Severance, and more. It boasts star power including Jennifer Anniston, Vince Vaughn, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tom Holland, Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro… The list goes on. In fact, with platforms like Netflix clamping down on password sharing, and Amazon stuffing adverts into Prime Video, we’d argue that Apple TV Plus is the best value service in streaming today.
And while the immediate benefit might be bonus services revenue in Apple’s pocket, there’s a deeper draw for Cupertino too. Apple TV Plus might not be enough to draw Android users away from the iPhone, but the service is quintessentially Apple in its approach to content. That means quality over quantity, and an attention to detail few can match. It also means literally billions of dollars in backing, so shows aren’t getting canceled left and right like they are on Netflix. By osmosis, Android users of an Apple TV app will get to sample the delights of Apple, likely teased with trials of other Apple services too, the fruit of a single branch from a tree dangling over the edge of the walled garden. Before you know it, some of them might even find themselves climbing over for good.
About the Author
Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore’s latest breaking news regarding all of Apple’s products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9.
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