Aereo to invade Android as biggest battle yet looms
Android will be the latest of many platforms on which Aereo is availableAereo announced today that its first ever Android app will be out on Oct. 22.
The app will allow users on Android 4.2 and above who live in areas that have access to Aereo's streaming TV services to access that content on their Android devices.
Aereo has been fighting hard to stay legal as broadcast and TV companies formed a legal dogpile over the last two years, but so far it's won every battle.
Android 'phones, phablets and tablets' join the long list of Aereo-compatible devices, which also includes iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Chrome, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Safari, Opera, AppleTV (via airplay) and Roku devices.
Ride that wave
Aereo captures free, over-the-air broadcast TV content and re-transmits it to subscribing customers' computer and device screens.
The company has been riding a wave of success, winning case after case, but for every victory another appeal or plaintiff has sprung up to further muddle the company's future.
Most recently, it was announced this morning that Aereo came out ahead in a legal battle with a Boston TV station that was seeking a preliminary injunction against its services.
The station, WCVB, plans to appeal, according to CNET.
But another, even more important battle could be on Aereo's horizon.
All the way to the top
A coalition of broadcasters will reportedly soon petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Aereo case once and for all.
Variety reported yesterday that the companies, which include Fox and others (likely CBS, NBC, ABC, and various regional stations) will file a writ of certoriari by Oct. 15.
They'll ask the highest court in the land to review the decisions of the lower courts that have sided with Aereo. The Supreme Court doesn't have to take the case, but it may choose to do so anyway.
It's definitely a gamble; depending where the Court lands it could either put a stop to Aereo's unauthorized broadcasts once and for all, or give it leave to continue its practices in peace.
Meanwhile, none of its myriad troubles have stopped Aereo from expanding to all kinds of places.
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