Google’s newest (and really rather good) Chromecast with Google TV video streamer is adding one of its notable missing apps, namely Apple TV. But that's all about to change, following news that the streaming dongle will receive the Apple TV app in early 2021.
This follows an October announcement that the Apple TV app is arriving on some Sony TVs, and marks the second major addition of Apple services to Google products, following the recently added support for Apple Music on Google Assistant smart speakers not two weeks ago.
With the addition of the Apple TV app, Chromecast with Google TV users can access Apple TV+ (although of course, you’ll need a paid subscription – and you may want to click the link and read our review to decide whether that's right for you). Apple TV originals such as Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Defending Jacob, Greyhound and Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special will be integrated into Google TV’s content aggregation system, too, which will allow the software to recommend them based on your interests and viewing habits.
Additionally, the Apple TV app will give Chromecast users access to their purchased iTunes library of TV shows and movies, as well as any Apple TV channels to which they’re already subscribed.
Google hasn’t specified an exact date for when the Apple TV app will arrive on the Chromecast with Google TV, but the firm promises that it should launch in early 2021, first on the Chromecast with Google TV and followed by other Android TV OS-powered devices later in the year.
Under intense review, we called Google's latest streaming dongle "one of the best video streamers available, thanks in no small part to the Google TV platform and excellent voice remote", with our only real gripe being the lack of Apple content. Happily, that's changing in 2021.
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