Wireless

Reports: Google acquired Agawi have Android devs discussing the pros and cons of streaming apps

By Shane Schick Jun 19, 2015 10:41am

There was no press release, no blog post, and certainly no mention of it at Google I/O, but app developers sounded less surprised than wary about reports Google had acquired streaming services startup Agawi, a move Google subsequently confirmed to TechCrunch. 

Agawi's technology would potentially allow consumers to stream apps the way they do Spotify or Netflix. Several media reports suggested this might be a way for Google to discourage downloads in favor of using the mobile Web, where its search engine reigns supreme. 

For a number of developers on Twitter, the fact the deal was kept under wraps for this long was as noteworthy as the M&A itself. 

Naturally, there was some sentiment that this was just further proof of a sea change in mobile: 

Some developers didn't see the Agawi deal as a threat as much as a way for the Android maker to have a strategic backup plan. 

There were also several comments suggesting streaming apps will not merely be limited to live versions of "endless runners" and other consumer app genres. 

And finally, there were some that sounded hopeful Agawi would not mean a war on apps, but a way to improve mobile user experiences.