Apple TV adds support for Google Cast even as Netflix ditches the feature

Apple is making it easier for Android users to watch Apple TV content on the big screen. The Apple TV app for Android will now support Google Cast functionality, which allows users to stream video and audio directly to their TV, the company said on Monday.

The tech giant’s adoption of Google Cast signals its interest in making Apple TV a more competitive streaming service at a time when the market is seeing more consolidation. Netflix and Paramount are competing to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney is preparing to integrate Hulu into its streaming app.

The feature arrives just after Netflix quietly dropped support for Google Cast in its own app, angering many subscribers. Apple’s support for this feature will likely appeal to Android users upset by Netflix’s decision who choose to take their streaming dollars elsewhere.

Apple TV’s selection of original content is smaller than what other streaming services offer, but it still contains a number of popular shows and movies like “Severance,” “Pluribus,” “The Studio,” “The Morning Show,” “Slow Horses,” and the recent summer blockbuster “F1.” For sports, Apple TV offers live streaming of Friday Night Baseball, as well as Major League Soccer games and Formula 1 races in the US.

To stream on TV, users will need to install the Apple TV app from Google Play, which works on smartphones, tablets and foldable devices. Just tap the submit icon at the top right.