When Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) first announced the HDMI dongle Chromecast last year it seemed like a genius idea, that however, was tempered by the fact that few apps actually worked on the new hardware.
Limited supply of apps at first
While Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Hulu Plus, YouTube, and Pandora Media Inc (NYSE:P) were supported, the list of additional apps that worked with the device got very small beyond the aforementioned group of applications.
This understanding which was written about by numerous tech journalists and rightfully panned kept me and presumably millions of others from purchasing the relatively cheap dongle.
This, however, is set to change soon as Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) always promised. What it will do for sales remains to be seen, but the company announced today on its Chrome blog that all developers will be able to integrate Chromecast into their products.
Chromecast makes it easy to enjoy all of your favorite online content on a TV screen with the simple press of a button on your phone, tablet or laptop. We want to make it easier for that content to get to your TV, so today we’re releasing the Google Cast Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers who want to build Chromecast support into their apps and websites. For the rest of us, that means even more of our favorite movies, TV shows and musicwill become available on Chromecast as developers work with the SDK. Just be on the lookout for the cast button in your favorite apps and websites across Android, iOS and Chrome.
Google includes iOS
Somewhat surprisingly Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has opened Chromecast up to iOS. Something that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) just doesn’t do. Apple is a bit more of a hoarder and doesn’t like to share with competing companies when it comes to its “property.”
Developers will, however, be forced to pay a $5 registration fee which gives them access to the Google Cast SDK Developer Console so they can register their apps and authorize devices for testing. Certainly, for those interested that is a paltry sum of a money to them but a nice revenue stream for an already massive company.
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), in an effort to get developers started, released a number of sample apps on GitHub today as well as releasing a video.
