Apple Music Lands on Roku Devices

03 MAY 2022 - I’m not sure who this one is a win for. Then again, maybe it’s just a thing. TechCrunch says Apple Music has turned up on Roku devices. The arrival comes three-years after Apple’s streaming music offering landed on Amazon’s Fire TV devices. As of now, the piece says users should be able to download the Apple Music app “on any Roku device, including its streaming players, Roku TV models and its audio products like the Roku Streambar Pro, among others.” 

Folks wondering what took so long may look to the business side. TechCrunch says users can sign up for a one-month free trial for Apple Music through Roku. If they choose to continue, they can do so through Roku for the Apple/iOS price of $9.99-per-month. TechCrunch says that could have been the holdup. “Typically,” the piece says:

...Roku takes a 20% revenue share on channels on its platform, which monetize through subscriptions or in-app purchases. The companies did not publicize their revenue share agreement, however, so it’s not clear if Apple has negotiated a special deal or if it’s decided to abide by Roku’s general terms in order to address Roku’s sizable market of 61.3 million active accounts as of Q1 2022.

Like at least some of those 61 million users don’t have iPhones? As I say, I’m not sure who this one is a win for. Then again, maybe it’s just a thing.