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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Google today released a Google Play Movies & TV app for iOS, allowing iPhone and iPad users to watch movies and TV shows that have been purchased on Google Play. In addition to providing a way for iOS users to stream Google Play content directly to their devices, the app is also a boon for Chromecast users with iOS devices, as it will let them stream movies and TV shows purchased from Google Play to the Chromecast device.
Watch your favorite movies and shows instantly on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from wherever you are. Buy or rent movies by visiting Google Play Store on any computer and watch them from any device over Wi-Fi using the Google Play Movies & TV app.
Limited content for iOS users has been an issue for Chromecast since the device was first launched in July. Though Chromecast was designed to compete with the Apple TV and Roku set top boxes, Chromecast users on iOS have been restricted to movie and TV content from apps like Netflix and YouTube that have implemented Chromecast support, while Android users have had prior access to movies and television shows from the Android version of Google Play Movies & TV.

Other apps, like HBO GO and Hulu Plus implemented Chromecast support after the device was launched, but it still lacked a comprehensive alternative to iTunes.

chromecast.jpg
With the addition of Google Play Movies and TV to iOS, Chromecast users have a much larger library of content to access, which puts the device more on par with the Apple TV. The Apple TV has long had support for iTunes, which gives users the opportunity to purchase movies and television shows. Chromecast users with iOS devices, like Apple TV users, can now access a service that provides a wide range of recent movie and TV show downloads.

iOS users cannot purchase content directly within the Google Play Movies and TV app due to Apple's restrictions, so movies and and shows will need to be purchased on the Google Play Store on a computer before the content can be accessed within the iOS app to be streamed to a television.

As noted by Gizmodo, content sent to Chromecast from the Google Play Movies and TV app will be in full HD, but content viewed on an iPhone will be limited to standard definition. There are a few other drawbacks with the app as well -- content can only be streamed over Wi-Fi and there is no option for offline viewing.

Google Play Movies & TV joins Google Play Books and Google Play Music as the third Google Play app available on iOS.

Google's Chromecast can be purchased directly from Google for $35 and it is also available from a number of third party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Google Play Movies & TV can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Launches 'Google Play Movies & TV' App, iOS Chromecast Users Gain Alternative to iTunes
 

GeneralChang

macrumors 68000
Dec 2, 2013
1,660
1,488
Oh, that’s nice of them. Now if only they’d fix the heap of garbage that is full screen support.
 

Shizho

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2014
12
0
Apple is doooooomed!

/s

I know you are being sarcastic....
But, I must point out... this helps out Apple, more than it harms them. We all know that for YEARS iTunes ran @ break-even... Apple would MUCH rather get you in a hardware buying cycle than, for example, buying some mp3s on your PC. The content is only available to create an ecosystem that is easy to use & hard to leave.
Google just lost that as leverage themselves... to whit: a user can say to themselves "I want to leave iOS, but I just have too much purchased content that would be a pain to convert & reorganize for Android... I have so many movies, song playlists, & even television show subscriptions. I had best stay." However they can NOT now say "I would like to leave Android to try Apple... I just can't because I don't want to lose all my Google Play purchased multimedia", as it would seamlessly come with them. This is a HUGE win for Apple!!! Easier for quality (cash spending) customers to switch.
It makes sense for Google too.... since they do not make money off the Android OS, a single iOS user that purchases heavily from Play store would net them much more than a dozen Android users that rarely, if ever purchase content from the Play store.
 

Rayd5365

macrumors member
Aug 31, 2010
74
162
I see no mention of being able to download content to the device for offline viewing.
If so, this is worthless on a plane, and certainly no replacement for iTunes.

<edit> I see the article specifically says no offline viewing. Worthless to me.
 

NMBob

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2007
1,893
2,398
New Mexico
Yay! Competition. It can only get better until we are paying through the nose for access to the Internets. (It'll be interesting to see the Movie companies and the non-common carrier companies duke it out. One want to sell you more stuff while the other wants to charge you more for downloading/streaming it, or restricting the flow of it.)
 

SeattleMoose

macrumors 68000
Jul 17, 2009
1,960
1,670
Der Wald
I try to avoid everything Google...

Their business model was based on "free" products from Day 1. "Free" turned out to have a huge price tag....privacy. And so it continues today.
 

HenryDJP

Suspended
Nov 25, 2012
5,084
843
United States
The fact that Google opened up more features for their own platform from jump street further makes me feel that Apple needs to start having more exclusive content for their own customers. Microsoft pulled this crap for way too many years leaving Mac users out in the cold until they felt like getting up and being the good guy....which is hardly ever for them. But Apple should definitely start getting exclusive content for Mac/iOS users to give consumers a compelling reason to stay or switch to the platform.
 

D.T.

macrumors G4
Sep 15, 2011
11,050
12,460
Vilano Beach, FL
The iOS experience sounds a little janky, so I guess it would depend on content pricing (assuming video is pretty close, since Amazon and iTunes are generally pretty close - a quick look shows ~$2 EPs for TV, etc.), and if an iOS user has a Chromecast vs. an AppleTV and/or their perspective on consuming directly on the iOS device.

Given no offline viewing and a few other limits, it kind of sounds like the Chromecast vs. AppleTV differences in general (price vs. features vs. platform availability).
 

crackbookpro

macrumors 65816
Feb 25, 2009
1,096
0
Om nom nom nom
I try to avoid everything Google...

Their business model was based on "free" products from Day 1. "Free" turned out to have a huge price tag....privacy. And so it continues today.

This one day be a class action lawsuit... it's just due time till the smart folks understand the true intentions from Google's macro & micro perspective on many revenue models.

What is is Google in this for... like, seriously, what is Google in this industry for now, I understood the early striving for a www?

I understood/understand they created the search giant google... but they have absolutely done things with absolutely NO true innovation after that, and have just punk'd the average consumer with driven deceptive strategic target marketing that the average joe has not a clue about.

I just know I am not one of them... except for gMail.

I'll still always use Google Maps though... best cartography for past 3-5yrs.
 

chirpie

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2010
646
183
lol, Google you crack me up. "You are transparent. I see many things. I see plans within plans."

"There is one more thing..."

(here it comes)

"The traditional desktop... we want it.... KILLED."


:D
 

Gherkin

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2004
674
304
good start.

good to have options.

I'm on Android now but it makes me more likely just a bit to go iPhone next time. Good for both companies and consumers. App has some features missing which will come at some point.
 

brinary001

Suspended
Sep 4, 2012
991
1,134
Midwest, USA
Nice! It's good to see Apple letting up a bit on competing services. I think I'll switch to using just Play media content ass opposed to iTunes purely for the convenience of streaming to just about any device besides just Apple's. And cue the fanboys attacking this comment in 3, 2, 1... "But iTunes is the best content provider ever! And then maybe throw in something about Google not caring about the experience or some other nonsense. Those are the funniest. :rolleyes:

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Why would anyone at all pick this over iTunes?

Because Apple has a plug in their butt that limits streaming iTunes content to just Apple products. You can actually get Play content on something besides an iWhathaveyou. :rolleyes:
 

alent1234

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2009
5,688
170
Nice! It's good to see Apple letting up a bit on competing services. I think I'll switch to using just Play media content ass opposed to iTunes purely for the convenience of streaming to just about any device besides just Apple's. And cue the fanboys attacking this comment in 3, 2, 1... "But iTunes is the best content provider ever! And then maybe throw in something about Google not caring about the experience or some other nonsense. Those are the funniest. :rolleyes:

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Because Apple has a plug in their butt that limits streaming iTunes content to just Apple products. You can actually get Play content on something besides an iWhathaveyou. :rolleyes:

they already have Vudu, amazon and other players in the app store

this is just google trying to get some market share beyond their pitiful 1% or so
 
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