Apple and Google are among the biggest rivals in the tech space, especially regarding their smartphone business. While Google gives iOS users a taste of many of its offerings, Apple, on the other hand, has been keeping most of its services exclusive to its own devices, giving people reasons to buy and use its products. One such example used to be Apple TV+.
Lately, though, Apple has been widening the availability of Apple TV+ to users across various platforms. However, it has refrained from making it available on Android smartphones. With Android's dominance in the smartphone market, extending Apple TV+ to the operating system could attract a larger subscriber base. It seems like Apple has also realized this, as it could soon bring the Apple TV app to Android smartphones.
Apple Has a Job Posting for An Experienced Senior Android Engineer
Spotted by Bloomberg, Apple recently listed a job opening for an Android engineer. According to the job summary, the Apple TV team is hiring an “experienced senior Android engineer” to “lead the development of fun new features” and “to help build an application used by millions to watch and discover TV and sports.”
The job description suggests that Apple is bringing the Apple TV app to the Android platform without explicitly mentioning “smartphones” or anything similar. Considering that the app is already available on some Android TV and Google TV devices, this likely means that the company is now building an Apple TV app for Android smartphones.
The Apple TV+ Service Has Been Expanded to Various Platforms
In typical Apple fashion, the company keeps most of its services exclusive to its platforms and devices. However, it has been widening the availability of Apple TV+—likely because of the competition from other popular streaming services. Apple TV+ is now accessible on Smart TVs from brands like Google, Amazon, and Samsung, as well as on Windows and ChromeOS via a web browser. It is even compatible with gaming consoles, including PlayStation and Xbox.
The only popular platform where Apple TV+ remains unavailable is Android smartphones. This shouldn't be a surprise, though, as most of its apps and services, like iMessage and FaceTime, aren't on Android. They are an important reason for some people to purchase Apple products, and bringing them to Android could hurt the company's sales.
That said, there's no harm in doing the same with Apple TV+. It would help the company gain a good number of users since an estimated 3.5 billion people use Android smartphones worldwide. All this makes sense when Apple has also invested so much in the streaming service.
Apple Seems Determined to Compete in the Streaming Space
Apple TV+ has built up an impressive lineup of original content, including movies and shows. In 2022, it became the first streaming service to win the Academy Award for Best Picture for its movie CODA at the 94th Academy Awards. Several other shows and movies have also received nominations and awards from various prestigious awards.
Despite the strong competition from players like Netflix and Prime Video, Apple is pushing hard to establish its presence in the streaming space. Let's see what the future holds for Apple TV+.
