Users of the Apple TV app on Google TV and Android TV no longer have the ability to rent and buy movies, as well as subscribe to streaming service Apple TV Plus, directly in the app.
When an Apple TV user on Google TV or Android TV tries to rent or buy a premium movie, or subscribe to Apple TV Plus, they're now presented with a button that says, "How to Watch." Click on that, and users receive a message instructing them to make their purchase on their iPhone, iPad or other devices. Users can then access their purchase within the library of their Apple TV app on Google's platform, or sign onto Apple TV Plus if a subscription has been established outside the app.
The limitation appears to be platform-wide across both Google TV and Android TV. It showed up on our Chromecast with Google TV dongle here at Next TV headquarters Monday. But the Apple TV app running on Google TV for TCL and Sony smart TVs is reportedly now functioning the same way. Users of Android TV-powered Nvidia Shield devices began griping about the accessibility issue last week.
Sure, it's just a niche usability issue with a work-around -- users can make the purchase on other devices and still use them in Apple TV for Google CTV platforms -- but the broader context is the continued friction between the tech giants, especially over the issue of revenue sharing on in-app purchases.
Neither Apple or Google has responded to requests for comments from the myriad tech publications that either discovered, or confirmed, this dynamic over the weekend (we can't tell who first broke this). However, as The Verge suggests, it's likely that "Apple no longer wants to give Google a cut of those individual in-app purchases."
A typical revenue share for an in-app purchase is around 30%.
Notably, Apple has never allowed Apple TV users on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV to conduct transactions without leaving the app.
Also notable: Apple TV app users on Roku, Samsung, LG, Xbox and PlayStation devices can make in-app transactions.
