By ByteBot
On December 16, Apple announced Google Cast support for its Apple TV app on Android—just two weeks after Netflix quietly killed the same feature. The timing creates an ironic narrative: Apple, long criticized for its “walled garden” ecosystem, is embracing open cross-platform standards while Netflix, traditionally an open platform champion, is restricting user choice. This isn’t just about casting; it’s a strategic reversal that reveals shifting priorities in the streaming wars.
The Role Reversal Nobody Saw Coming
On December 1, 2025, Netflix removed Google Cast from all newer Chromecast and Google TV devices—specifically, devices that come with remotes. Two weeks later, Apple did the exact opposite: version 2.2 of the Apple TV Android app added Google Cast support on all compatible devices.
Let that sink in. Apple, the company synonymous with proprietary hardware and App Store control, is now more open than Netflix when it comes to streaming flexibility. The walled garden is opening its gates while Netflix builds new walls.
Why Each Company Made Their Move
Apple’s motivations are straightforward. Android holds 72% of global smartphone market share, and Apple TV+ needs scale—it has just 45 million subscribers compared to Netflix’s 300 million. Adding Google Cast capitalizes on user backlash against Netflix while showing “openness” during EU regulatory pressure from the Digital Markets Act. It’s calculated, not altruistic.
Netflix’s reasoning is murkier. The company’s official line? “The decision was made to improve the customer experience.” Users strongly disagree. The likely real reasons: ad revenue optimization (the ad-supported tier has 70 million users), better data analytics from native TV apps, and tighter control over features like live streaming and gaming that require native app capabilities. Casting streams are harder to monetize and monitor.
Translation: Netflix wants you in their app, watching their ads, on their terms. The convenience you lose is the control they gain.
Users Are Not Happy
Reddit and Twitter erupted with frustration after Netflix’s casting removal. One user complained: “The Netflix app on my TV is a bag of s— so I just cast from my phone.” Another threatened: “Removing the casting feature will just result in my not using of Netflix entirely.”
The backlash makes sense. Casting isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s often the primary way users watch streaming content. Phone keyboards are easier for searching, casting to hotel TVs while traveling is essential, and using your phone as a remote beats fumbling with clunky TV interfaces.
Netflix is now the only major streaming service without Google Cast on newer devices. Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, and now Apple TV+ all support it. That’s not a great look when subscription fatigue has users scrutinizing value propositions.
What This Reveals About Platform Strategy
This reversal exposes a fundamental truth: companies choose “open” or “closed” based on competitive advantage, not principle.
Apple is trailing at #5 in streaming with 8% US market share. It needs to be flexible to attract Android users and grow. Netflix is the most profitable streamer with $10.4 billion in operating profit. It can afford to alienate some users if tighter control increases revenue.
The irony is delicious, but the lesson is sobering. Users want openness; platforms want control. The balance depends on who has leverage—and right now, Netflix thinks it does.
What Happens Next
Short-term, expect Apple TV+ to see a modest subscriber bump from frustrated Netflix users. Netflix will monitor churn metrics closely; if the numbers worsen, they may quietly restore casting (though they’d never admit the mistake).
Longer-term, this sets a precedent. Will other streamers follow Netflix’s lead and restrict features for monetization? Or will they follow Apple’s example and compete on flexibility?
The answer depends on market position. Leaders can restrict. Challengers must open up. Users, as always, are caught in the middle—paying subscriptions to companies that optimize for profits, not preferences.
Apple’s “openness” isn’t altruism. Netflix’s “better experience” is corporate speak. Both are making calculated moves in the streaming wars. The difference is one company needs your goodwill right now, and the other doesn’t.
