Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple TV Plus has only offered limited viewing options for Android users in the past.
- While there’s an Android TV app, Android phone and tablet users have been directed to stream through their web browsers.
- After years of waiting, Apple has finally relented and is publishing a native Apple TV Plus app for Android devices of all sizes.
Last month, Apple got the year started with a rare treat, making Apple TV Plus available to stream for a free preview weekend. While that was a great way to get caught up on Severance ahead of season two, Android users who went to take advantage of the promo may have found themselves in an awkward position — unlike the vast majority of streaming services, which release apps for iOS and Android devices alike, so far there hasn’t been a native Apple TV Plus app for Android phones. Today that finally starts changing.
Android users interested in watching Apple TV Plus have so far had a few options available to them. After a bumpy start, Apple eventually embraced Android on big screens, releasing an Android TV app. But on phones and tablets, the company has instead encourage subscribers to view through their web browsers. That’s a bit inelegant, as was the other option: viewing as an add-on through Amazon Prime TV.
Consider those work-arounds a thing of the past, as today Apple announces the release of its Apple TV Plus app for Android phones and tablets. You can grab it at the Google Play Store. The app requires Android 10 or newer, and supports Google Play billing.
For what it’s worth, it’s not like Google has been playing keep-away with its own streaming services, and Apple’s had access to YouTube for the better part of forever. Apple also hasn’t been shy about crossing platform boundaries with its music streaming service, and Apple Music has been available on Android phones for almost a decade now.
Apple TV Plus subscriptions are currently priced at $10 a month. You can also get access bundled in with an Apple One plan, starting at $20 a month for individuals.
