In an indication Apple TV+ could but arrive for Android customers — which means hell have to be totally coated in ice — Cupertino is seeking to rent a senior engineer to construct a TV and sports activities app for the smartphone platform, in accordance with a brand new report.
Report: Apple seeks senior engineer to construct TV and sports activities app for Android
Apple marketed a job opening prior to now few days for a senior engineer to assist put collectively a sports activities and TV app for Android, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
The advert says Cupertino seeks a growth lead on “fun new features” to “help build an application used by millions to watch and discover TV and sports.”
An Apple spokesperson declined to remark, Bloomberg mentioned. However might this imply Cupertino will make Apple TV+ or some mixture of recent TV and sports activities apps out there to Android customers?
It’s all about market share
The software-development transfer seems to be about gaining extra market share in video streaming by any means essential — even engaged on the Android platform, the primary competitor to iOS.
The report famous that the iPhone large has spent closely increase unique content material for Apple TV+ since its launch in 2019, netting a 2022 Finest Image Oscar for CODA within the course of. However Apple doesn’t disclose service’s subscriber numbers or its particular income, so it’s onerous to say the place it stands financially on the enterprise.
Clearly, growing apps for Android might open up a serious supply of extra viewers and ensuing income. Whereas Apple dominates the high-end smartphone market, Android serves extra customers worldwide utilizing greater than 3 billion gadgets.
Apple’s avoidance of Android may very well be coming to an finish
Apple hasn’t been shy about placing Apple TV+ in all places attainable, like on Roku and Amazon gadgets. However there has not but been a devoted Android app for it, although it might run on Google Chromecast and a few sensible TVs through Android.
In the meantime, Apple put out Apple Music streaming on Android, however not FaceTime and iMessage, which it could have seen as larger threats to iPhone gross sales.
Bloomberg suggests the newest transfer exhibits an angle change at Apple, because it seeks a extra intensive involvement with Android via a brand new rent to “design and architect a sophisticated application.” The report additionally cited releases earlier this 12 months of standalone variations of Apple Music, Apple TV and device-management apps for Home windows.
Going again a bit additional, Apple expanded the iTunes Music Retailer to cowl Home windows PCs six months after launching the service for Mac. It’s like “giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell,” then Apple CEO Steve Jobs mentioned round that point.
And this might bolster Apple’s juggernaut progress in companies much more.