Aereo announces Android app launch on October 22

After its CEO said an Android app was possibly coming in September, the cloud-based TV provider says it will release one in public beta later this month, available to members in the seven markets where Aereo operates.

(Credit: Joan E. Solsman/CNET)

Aereo, the cloud-based TV service, said it will release its first Android app in the Google Play store on October 22.

To be released in a public beta, the app will be available to Aereo members in the seven markets where Aereo has expanded, working on phones, tablets, and other devices running Android operating system 4.2 or higher. Aereo members will also now be able to connect a Roku box to their Aereo account using their Android device.

"We know consumers have been waiting a long time for an Aereo Android app and today, we're happy to announce its release later this month," said Aereo CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia in a statement. He had said an Android app was in the pipeline earlier.

"At Aereo, we believe consumers should have more choice and control over how they watch television and a big part of that is expanding the universe of devices that they can use to access Aereo's technology. This year, our focus has been on growing our footprint across the country," Kanojia said.

The company said earlier this year that it is expanding from New York to 22 new cities in the US in 2013, but it has had some difficulty keeping up with the planned pace. The service, which provides an extremely small antenna that enables customers to access over-the-air programming, currently operates in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Miami, Houston, and Dallas, but its planned launch in Chicago was delayed.

The company has been a thorn in the side of major broadcast networks like NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS (the parent of CNET). The companies have sued Aereo, claiming that the service violates their copyrights. So far, the court has ruled on Aereo's side, saying the companies have not been able to prove copyright infringement. But TV networks are said to be preparing an appeal to the Supreme Court.