You can now stream Apple TV+ to your TV from Android using Google Cast

In a quiet role reversal, Apple has updated its Android app to support Google Cast, letting users stream content directly to compatible TVs. The change lands just weeks after Netflix blocked casting from mobile devices to many newer TVs, a move that frustrated subscribers and pushed them toward native TV apps instead.

While Netflix is tightening control over how its service is experienced on the big screen, Apple is doing the opposite. By adding Cast support to the Apple TV app on Android, Apple is lowering the barriers for non-Apple users who want to watch shows like Ted Lasso or Severance without needing Apple hardware.

With version 2.2 now rolling out on the Google Play Store, the Apple TV app includes a persistent Cast icon that finally fills a long-standing gap. Android users no longer need an iPhone, Apple TV box, or AirPlay-compatible setup to get a proper living-room experience.

Apple is breaking away from its walled-garden to grow its TV streaming service

After making Apple Music available on Android, Apple TV+ could be next.

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji

The feature works as expected. A tap connects instantly to Chromecast devices, Nest Hubs, and Google-powered TVs. Apple has also added a mini-player and lock-screen controls, bringing the Android app closer to the level of refinement typically reserved for iOS.

Taken together, the update points to a subtle shift in Apple’s services strategy. Supporting Google Cast signals an acknowledgment that Apple TV+ growth depends on meeting viewers where they already are, rather than pulling them deeper into its 'walled garden."

The takeaway

For Android users, the Apple TV app has moved from a mobile-only endpoint to something that finally fits into a shared living-room setup. The result is an unusual moment in tech. Android users now have a more flexible way to watch Apple TV+, while Netflix increasingly asks them to adjust their habits. It’s a small update, but one that says a lot about how differently these two streaming giants see control, convenience, and growth.

Apple might launch Apple TV+ app for Android Users

This expansion would allow Android users to enjoy critically acclaimed Apple TV+ originals as well as other streaming content, directly from a native app.

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji