For years, Google Cast has been one of Android’s quiet superpowers. Tap a single icon and your phone hands off a movie or TV show to the biggest screen in the room, whether that’s a Chromecast dongle, a smart TV, or even a Nest Hub. That convenience took a hit earlier this month when Netflix quietly removed casting support from its mobile app for most TVs and displays — a move that frustrated Android users globally.
Now, in a twist few would have predicted, Apple is doing the exact opposite.
Apple has started rolling out Google Cast support to the Apple TV app on Android, effectively pulling a “reverse Netflix” at a time when casting feels more uncertain than ever.
Apple TV on Android finally feels complete
Apple launched the Apple TV app on the Google Play Store in early 2025, marking a major shift for a service that had long been tied to Apple hardware. For Android users outside Kenya, the app brought proper access to Apple TV+ originals and the MLS Season Pass, with subscriptions handled directly through Google Play billing.
But there was a glaring omission: no Google Cast support.
With version 2.2 of the Apple TV app for Android, that gap is now closed. The update introduces native Google Cast support, allowing users to stream Apple TV content directly to compatible smart TVs, Chromecasts, and Cast-enabled displays.
The Cast button now sits persistently on the app’s homepage, next to the account profile icon. Tapping it brings up a familiar list of nearby devices, including Chromecast dongles and Nest Hub displays, making the experience feel instantly native to Android.
A proper casting experience, not a half-measure
Apple hasn’t just added a basic “push to TV” function and called it a day. While casting, users retain full playback control from their phone. Volume adjustment, play and pause, timeline scrubbing, subtitle, and language settings are all accessible without friction.
There’s also a compact miniplayer view, complete with a playback timeline, a 10-second rewind button, and quick controls. Tap it, and the interface expands into a full-screen Cast controller with more detailed options. Both views clearly show which device you’re casting to, a small but important detail for households with multiple Cast-enabled screens.
In short, it works the way Android users expect casting to work.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting
This update lands at a moment when the streaming industry appears to be moving in two very different directions. Netflix’s decision to remove casting support without much explanation has raised questions about whether more platforms might follow suit, possibly to push proprietary TV apps or limit account sharing.
Apple, meanwhile, is leaning into platform-agnostic access.
The move also reflects Apple TV+’s growing relevance outside the Apple ecosystem. Shows like Severance, Ted Lasso, and newer viral hits such as Pluribus have helped the service gain cultural traction well beyond iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs. Adding Google Cast makes Apple TV+ significantly more usable for Android-first households.
There’s one important caveat for local readers: Apple TV+ is still not officially available in Kenya. However, the service is already live in several neighbouring African markets, including Uganda, as well as parts of North and Southern Africa.
That regional availability, combined with Apple’s increasing investment in Android features like Google Cast, suggests a broader international strategy that no longer treats Android as a second-class citizen. For Kenyan users watching the space, this is another signal that a local launch may eventually be a matter of when, not if.
Netflix vs Apple, two very different philosophies
Taken together, the contrast is hard to ignore. Netflix is tightening control over how and where its content is watched, even if that means removing long-standing features Android users rely on. Apple, traditionally known for walled gardens, is now embracing open, cross-platform technologies like Google Cast.
For Android users, especially in emerging markets where Chromecasts and shared TVs are common, Apple’s move feels refreshingly user-first.
So yeah, Netflix may have killed casting. But Apple TV just brought it back.
