As usual with Google products, there’s a long and involved family tree. When the Chromecast hardware was first launched, the companion app was Google Cast.
This later became Google Play Movies & TV before this in turn morphed into Google TV. Quite why Google saw a need to change the name every update has never been fully explained.
Anyway, the app you need to watch video and TV programming on your phone or tablet is called, at least for now, Google TV.
Currently, you can browse over 700,000 movies and TV shows across all your streaming apps on your phone or tablet. Finding stuff to watch is a breeze as the content is neatly arranged by topic and genre.
And if you need some inspiration, your viewing history-based recommendations will point you in the right direction of content that you will love. You will also see what’s trending across all our streaming services.
Plus, there’s no need to wait for the latest movies to drop as you can buy or rent all the latest releases in the Shop tab. The content you buy is stored in a personal library and can be downloaded for offline viewing. You can watch instantly on your Android device or a smart TV.
With so much to watch and so little time, you will appreciate the Watchlist feature. This lets you bookmark interesting movies and show you want to watch later. Handily, the Watchlist is shared by all your connected devices, so you can add to it whenever you need.
Google TV to get Apple TV app
Google announced they were launching the Apple TV app on the latest version of Chromecast with Google TV.
The TV plug-in device will let Google TV users access their Apple TV+ account, assuming you have one. The innovation makes the latest Chromecast with Google TV one of the very few streaming devices that supports all the major streaming services.
Google added that the rollout would occur in early 2021 and be extended to more Android TV OS devices.
It simplifies your watching your favorite TV shows and movies
Rent or buy movies and TV shows
Search for titles to see which streaming service has them
Download and watch your Google Play purchases and rentals offline
Watch on your Android device or TV with your Chromecast
Get all your streaming services in one place on your phone or tablet
Voice search-capable
You can use Google Assistant for hands-free operation
Support most streaming services
The interface is a mess, especially on iOS, where Mac users give it a 2.7 out of 5 rating
The Google TV app requires a free Google account to sign in and a compatible device.
Available features and supported devices may sometimes be country-specific and subject to availability. The same also applies to content that may be geo-restricted.
While free to download and use, you may need to take out a subscription to view certain content.
