- AppleTV+ is now available for Android users to download.
- It’s a rare step by Apple to make its own apps available to non-iOS systems.
- Apple has been pushing to increase recurring revenue at its services businesses, including AppleTV+.
Apple’s streaming platform is officially available on Android devices.
The Google Play store now has the AppleTV+ app available for Android users to download, marking a rare move by Apple to make its own offerings available to mobile devices that aren’t iOS-powered.
It’s a timely decision as Apple TV originals like “Silo” gain massive popularity. The tech giant spent $20 million per episode to make season two of “Severance,” which premiered in January, Bloomberg reported.
“The success of shows like ‘Severance’ and ‘Silo’ has created an opportunity to capture additional subscription revenue by reaching Android users,” Jacob Bourne, tech analyst at BI sister company EMARKETER, said.
Bourne said it reflects Apple’s “evolving strategy” to increase revenue for its services business as Apple faces hardware headwinds including tech rivals in China challenging its iPhone sales. Apple’s services, which include segments such as its subscriptions, iCloud, advertising, and Apple Care, grew 14% year over year to reach a record $26.3 billion in Q1 FY2025.
Although the move will likely give Apple’s services revenue a boost this quarter, Morningstar analyst William Kerwin said it’s no indication that Apple is opening its ecosystem. There are still a number of features that are available exclusively to iOS devices.
It is a strategy to give it some more firepower in the competitive streaming industry, where its installed base amounts to a tenth of that of Netflix, Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said. Netflix reported over 300 million paid memberships globally in Q4 2024; Apple doesn’t specifically break out numbers. An AppleTV+ subscription costs $9.99 per month in the US. Netflix’s standard plan with ads is $7.99.
Last month, Apple offered users a weekend to try out AppleTV+ for free — another move that analysts said was intended to attract new subscribers. Before its launch to android phones, the AppleTV app was available on iOS products, Windows devices, and many smart TVs.
