Recently, Apple announced the launch of the new 'Apple Sports' app, allowing millions of users to more conveniently track sports events.
This news has excited many sports fans, as the involvement of this global giant suggests a potentially disruptive transformation in the online sports betting market.
Apple's move has attracted widespread attention.
This free app, designed specifically for iPhone users, provides real-time scores, data, and other information, all designed with speed and simplicity at its core.
Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, stated, "We created Apple Sports to meet the needs of sports fans, hoping to provide an app that allows for quick access to scores and data."
Although the app is ostensibly led by the Sports platform and sports betting company DraftKings, there is no doubt that Apple is also a major driver behind this potential revolution.
In the past, the sports app market was mainly limited to smaller platforms, as well as well-known brands like Walt Disney's ESPN and PENN Entertainment's theScore. However, with Apple's entry, this field is elevated to a new, highly competitive level of business warfare.
In this regard, industry expert Dmitry Belianin made some key comments. He stated on social media, "Apple is not just playing this game; they own this game, they are even the referees of this match." He questioned the motives behind Apple's development of this real-time scoring app.
For Apple, they cleverly pre-eliminated the gambling element in the app, allowing users to hide betting odds through the settings menu. The app is now available in the US, UK, and Canada, including a feature area called "Sports Center," where users can watch sports matches through Apple's flagship Apple TV streaming service.
Apple Sports will timely update the current season's various leagues including MLS, NBA, NCAA men's and women's basketball, NHL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Mexican League, Ligue 1, Premier League, and Serie A, etc.
Moreover, it promises to gradually add information from other leagues, including MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA, etc. According to Apple's introduction, users can freely switch between scores and upcoming matches, exploring inning-by-inning information, team data, lineup details, and real-time betting odds.
Users can also click to enter the Apple TV app to watch live matches from Apple and related streaming services.
Overall, Apple's entry into the online sports betting market could trigger a significant transformation. For Apple, this may just be a small probe, but for the entire industry, it could be a huge challenge, heralding the era of sports betting today and iGaming tomorrow.
