According to Android Authority, the Apple TV app for Android has finally started supporting Google Cast. This feature, which was conspicuously missing when the app first launched on Android in February, now lets users stream content to Chromecast devices and other Cast-enabled TVs and speakers. The implementation includes a miniplayer and a full-screen UI during playback. This update follows the app’s initial Android release which already allowed subscriptions via Google Play Billing for both Apple TV+ and the MLS Season Pass. It’s a direct move to make the service more usable and attractive to the massive Android user base.
The Reverse Netflix Strategy
Here’s the thing: this is Apple doing the exact opposite of what it’s famous for. For decades, the playbook was simple: create amazing hardware and use exclusive software to sell it. Services like iMessage and FaceTime were walls in the garden. But with streaming, the calculus has flipped. The potential revenue from hundreds of millions of Android subscribers now outweighs the minor benefit of keeping Apple TV+ as an iPhone or Apple TV exclusive. They’re not just putting an app in the Play Store; they’re making it fully functional. Supporting Google’s own casting protocol is a huge concession to practicality. It basically says, “We want your subscription money, even if you’ll never buy one of our boxes.”
What Took So Long?
So why did this take so long? The Android app landed in February, and we’re only getting Cast support now. That’s a pretty big gap. I think it reveals Apple’s internal priorities. Getting the app out the door with core viewing and billing was step one. Deep integration with a competitor’s ecosystem protocol was probably step two, or maybe step five. There’s also the technical and UI challenge of building a good Cast experience that matches Apple’s infamous quality standards. But the delay also highlights a tension. Apple wants to be a service company, but its DNA is still product-first. Every step onto Android must feel a little strange in Cupertino.
The Bigger Picture For Subscribers
Look, this is unequivocally good for consumers. More competition and easier access are always wins. An Android user can now finally binge Severance or Ted Lasso on their big-screen TV without any weird workarounds. It makes the $9.99 monthly fee a much easier sell. But it’s also a sign of the intense pressure in the streaming wars. When you’re competing with Netflix, Disney+, and Max, you can’t afford to ignore the largest mobile OS on the planet. This move is less about generosity and more about survival and growth. The next logical step? Maybe even a native app for some competing TV platforms. Don’t be shocked if an Apple TV app lands on more smart TVs that aren’t made by Apple. The walls are coming down, one brick at a time.
