For years Apple has been known as a company that rarely works with third-party hardware makers. Typically, if you want to use an Apple service, you need an Apple device. There have been a few exceptions, but for the most part, if you want to watch something on iTunes you need an Apple product.
Over the last few years that has slowly been changing. Now Apple’s willingness to put their services on other devices has been speeding up.
It was recently announced that Apple Music would be coming to Amazon Alexa devices. Now it was just announced that iTunes will be coming to Samsung and AirPlay 2 would be coming to Samsung, Sony, LG, and Vizio TVs in 2019.
The question now is will Apple’s new Netflix-like streaming service be next. For months now, rumors have been flying that Apple would only allow their streaming service to work on Apple products. But with iTunes and Apple Music coming to other devices, it looks likely that Apple may also bring their new streaming service to non-Apple devices.
One sign of this is the timing of the iTunes roll out on Samsung TVs. The reported roll out of spring 2019 lines up with some of the rumors of when Apple’s new streaming service will go live.
So, will Roku and Fire TV be next? Recently Apple and Amazon have started to work together. Amazon came to the Apple TV, and Apple Music is coming to Alexa devices. Even more important, the Apple TV is once again for sale on Amazon.com.
Roku is a bit harder, but if Apple wants to be on Amazon it is possible Apple will one day want to be on Roku players. That is only a guess at this point, and Apple may fear having its streaming service on Roku may help Roku continue to dominate the streaming device market Apple hopes to expand in.
For now, this is all speculation. We do know Apple is finally open to third-party device makers like Samsung and Amazon for their services. This is a brave new world for Apple that as of today knows no end.
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