Philo is now available to Amazon Fire TV device owners, as well as those making use of Apple TV. This is the latest expansion of support for the service which is already available on a number of platforms. Although one of those platforms that does remain absent is Android. Philo, is accessible to Android device owners through a browser such as Chrome, although that is not quite the same as having a native app solution available. Speaking of which, the same announcement did make it clear an Android app is “coming soon.”
Philo first arrived on the scene late last year and in simple terms is just another live TV streaming solution. However, one of its primary and most noteworthy selling points is the price. As unlike a number of live TV services where the baseline package price hovers around the $30-40 marker, Philo comes in with its baseline package priced at just $16 per month. With the exception of the recently launched WatchTV from AT&T, this makes Philo one of the most affordable live TV streaming services currently on the market. Adding to its appeal, Philo also offers some advanced features including unlimited recording, the ability to watch programs after they have aired, and access to multiple streams at the same time – all features that are currently missing from the similarly-priced WatchTV. Another difference between the two “skinny” streaming options is Philo’s $16 plan is just one option with consumers given the choice to upgrade the package to one that offers a slightly greater variety of content.
As part of today’s announcement, Philo also took the opportunity to announce it has recently raised over $40 million during its latest Series C round of funding. Some of the confirmed investors are notable in the industry, such as AMC Networks, Discovery and Viacom and all three are returning backers after already having invested in the service at an earlier time. This Amazon Fire TV-related announcement arrives just a few days before Amazon is due to host its annual Prime Day celebrations, where among other things, Fire TV device are likely to be available at a discounted rate. As for current Fire TV owners who are now considering given the service a try, Philo does offer a seven-day free trial.