While Apple isn’t generally known for playing nice with other platforms, that go-it-alone mentality hasn’t applied to Apple TV+. Following Samsung TVs, Google Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV devices, the Apple TV app is now available on SHIELD TV and other Android TV devices.
Google had previously announced that the Apple TV app was coming to Android TV devices, but the announcement Tuesday made it official. The Apple TV app is available in the Google Play Store but you’ll need an Android TV app to download it—it won’t work on Android phones.
Nvidia trumped the announcement in a press release that also spotlighted voice control. The Apple TV app works with the built-in Google Assistant on Shield devices for hands-free control just like Siri on Apple TV. You can also use simple voice commands to pause, rewind, and fast-forward as well as other commands.
The addition of the Apple TV app means Apple TV+ is available on all of Apple’s competitors and is one of the most ubiquitous services. The availability on Android comes just in time for the second season of Apple’s award-winning and critically acclaimed comedy series Ted Lasso this summer as well as a full slate of series and movies.
Apple TV+ is available for $5/month but is free for a year with any Apple device purchase.
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He’s still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.
