Apple is breaking away from its walled-garden to grow its TV streaming service

For years, Apple TV+ has been locked into Apple’s own devices and a handful of third-party platforms like Roku. If you didn’t own an iPhone, iPad, or an Apple-approved smart TV, you were out of luck. But that’s about to change.

We're hearing that it plans to announce a new Android app as early as this week, marking the first time TV+ will be available natively on Android phones. For the company, it could be a play to expand Apple TV+’s subscriber base at a time when competition among streaming giants is fiercer than ever.

With hit shows like Severance and the upcoming fourth season of Ted Lasso, Apple TV+ has earned critical acclaim, but it still lags behind Netflix and Disney+ in total viewership. Apple, notoriously secretive about its subscriber numbers, has never disclosed how many people actually pay for TV+, but industry estimates suggest it’s far behind its biggest rivals. By bringing TV+ to Android, Apple is opening the door to a massive potential audience – users who may have never considered the service simply because it wasn’t available on their devices.

Previously, it made Apple Music available on Android, and recently launched Apple Music Classical for the platform as well. Expanding TV+ to Android suggests that Apple is feeling the pressure to grow its streaming footprint, even if it means stepping outside its comfort zone.

The new app is expected to bring all the core Apple TV+ features, including cross-device viewing, personalized watchlists, offline downloads, and support for MLS Season Pass, Apple’s Major League Soccer streaming service. Priced at $9.99 per month, TV+ will offer a free trial for new Android subscribers, a move that could entice users to give it a shot.

Apple is doing something it rarely does. It does appear that gradually breaking away from its usual walled-garden approach might help grow its streaming service.

And even open the door for more Apple services on Android in the future.