Apple TV is coming to Chromecasts with Google TV

Looks like Apple and Google are getting closer as 2020 draws to a close. After announcing that Apple Music will be available on Google’s smart speakers and displays earlier this month, the two companies are playing nice once more. The Apple TV app will be available on Chromecasts with Google TV beginning early next year, with more Android TV OS devices to follow.

This integration is beneficial to both companies. Google gets to claim that the Chromecast is now “one of the only streaming devices with all the major video subscriptions,” as it said in its announcement. Meanwhile, Apple’s TV+ service will be available to a wider audience of people than before. Though it’s worth noting that the Apple TV app had already been supported by Roku and Fire TVs (and Xboxes) before this, and arrived on PlayStations earlier this year.

Google’s new operating system for the Chromecast still needs polish. Though one of its biggest selling points is the integration of all your different streaming services in one interface, not all apps behave the same way. The shows you watch in HBO Max will show up in Google TV’s “Continue Watching” row, for example, but not titles from Prime Video or Netflix, for some reason.

We’ll have to wait till the Apple TV app rolls out on the Android TV-based platform to see how well it’ll work, but for now Google is promising that you’ll at least “be able to see Apple Originals in your personalized recommendations and search results” and save them to your universal watchlist. Presumably, the Assistant will also find shows from Apple TV+ when you use it to search for something to watch. With the new service in Google TV, though, it’s at least nice to see the media library growing to encompass exclusive Apple titles like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show.