iOS 27 may add native Google Cast support, like AirPlay, due to EU
▼ Summary
– Bloomberg reports Apple may add native Google Cast support to iOS 27 as a third-party AirPlay alternative.
– Currently, iOS only natively supports AirPlay, leaving Google Cast and Miracast to work only on an app-by-app basis.
– Apple is building this change to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act requirements.
– Users could set a default streaming solution, such as Google Cast, for video, photos, and audio in place of AirPlay.
– The feature may launch only in the European Union, as Apple has not adopted other EU-mandated software changes globally.
A new report from Bloomberg indicates that iOS 27 may introduce native support for Google Cast and other third-party streaming protocols, as Apple works to comply with European Union regulations.
Currently, users can access Google Cast (often called Chromecast) within individual iOS apps, but only if developers have manually integrated that functionality. The operating system itself natively supports just one streaming protocol: Apple’s own AirPlay. This leaves alternatives like Miracast and Google Cast operating on an app-by-app basis, with no system-level integration.
That could be about to change. According to Bloomberg, Apple is developing support within iOS 27 for “third-party AirPlay streaming alternatives,” explicitly naming Google Cast in the report. The key feature would allow users to set these alternatives as a default solution in place of AirPlay.
The move is driven by Apple’s need to satisfy the latest requirements of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The report notes that Apple is building this functionality into iOS 27 so that outside services , including Google Cast , can be selected by users as the default method for streaming video, photos, and audio from an Apple device to a speaker or TV.
This development is excellent news for anyone who has invested in streaming hardware beyond Apple’s ecosystem. Google Cast is already widely available on countless speakers and televisions, making it an immediate and strong alternative to AirPlay.
However, there is a significant caveat. As our sister site 9to5Mac points out, this feature will likely roll out only within the European Union. Apple has not readily adopted other software changes forced by the EU in other regions. It would be a brilliant addition, particularly for households with a mix of iPhones and Android phones. Apple does not support AirPlay on Android, and that is almost certainly not changing anytime soon unless the EU pushes further. For now, we will have to wait and see how widely this feature becomes available.
(Source: 9to5google.com)
