googleplaytv
Latest
Google Play Movies & TV for Android improves second screen tools
If you've splurged for a Chromecast or pre-ordered the newfangled Nexus Player, streaming from Google Play to your television just got better. Mountain View's Movies & TV app for Android update brings actor and soundtrack cards to your mobile device, putting that requisite casting gadget's display to good use while you watch. Not all content will showcase the new feature though, so you'll have to look for the Info Cards badge when making a selection. Material Design is being applied in other bits of software, and with this latest version, Movies & TV gets a fresh flat coat of paint to match. The Watch Now tab serves up more recommendations and trailers can be watched right inside the app. If you're not seeing the update just yet, sit tight: it's rolling out to all users over the course of the next week.
iOS gets a Google Play Movies & TV streaming app, but it only works over WiFi
Apple's iTunes is the de facto virtual storefront for iOS users looking to access digital video content, but now Google's elbowing its way into that tidy ecosystem. The search giant just dropped an iOS version of its Google Play Movies & TV app onto the App Store, giving users an alternate media library to browse. Just like Amazon's video on demand app, there's no support for buying or renting on the device itself, in order to avoid Apple taking a cut off the top. Users will need to pick out their content on another platform like desktop PC or Android, and then flick through their selections for streaming (over WiFi only currently). Version 1.0.1 brings Chromecast support right away, but there's no AirPlay option for Apple TV right now. We'll wait and see if that and other features like downloading for offline viewing arrive in future updates, for now you can grab the app here. Update: This post has been updated to reflect that the iOS app cannot currently be used to rent or purchase content from Google Play.
