Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) on Wednesday announced that Hulu Plus now supports the Chromecast on Android smartphones and tablets, as well as the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad. Hulu says that iPhone support “is coming soon,” but did not give a timetable for when the Chromecast would be compatible with Apple’s smartphone.
The Chromecast’s support for Hulu Plus is made available following a software update to the TV-streaming app that Hulu said it is “rolling... out throughout the day” on Wednesday. Google said that the Chromecast would support Pandora Internet Radio (NYSE
) when it was launched in July, but the music streaming company has not announced an official timetable for when it would begin supporting the dongle.
The Hulu Plus app for Android devices and iPad (pictured) are updating to support the Chromecast. Hulu has not given a timetable for supporting the Chromecast over iPhone. Hulu
Chromecast is sold by Google on its Play Store as well as through Amazon.com and Best Buy. The $35 (plus tax) dongle connects to a television’s HDMI port as well as a USB or wall socket for power. The Chromecast then connects to a WiFi network to stream movies, TV shows and music, although it currently only officially supports songs purchased from the Play Store and streaming from Google’s premium All Access music service.
The Chromecast is also capable of “casting”, or streaming from a tab in the Chrome web browser. By tab-casting, users can use the Chromecast to stream Pandora as well as competitors like Spotify and Songza, as well as the free version of Hulu. The International Business Times reviewed the Chromecast in August, noting that the “only inconvenience about tab-casting from Chrome was that it uses the browser as the remote control,” requiring users to get up to make changes or pause what’s playing. IBTimes said that current Netflix “members are going to find a lot to like in the device,” but non-members should “wait until a few more applications become available.”
Almost three months after Google released the Chromecast, Hulu has added support for Plus members' Android devices and the iPad. Hulu
Media outlets like TechCrunch criticized Google in August for an update to the Chromecast’s firmware that removed support for AllCast, an app developed by Koushik Dutta that let users stream straight from Android smartphones. Dutta, an Android developer with over 80,000 followers on Google Play, said at the time that the “policy seems to be a heavy handed approach, where only approved content will be played through the device. The Chromecast will probably not be indie developer friendly.” Dutta told his followers to hold off on purchasing the Chromecast until it became clear “how Google chooses to move forward on third party applications.”
The Chromecast quickly sold out when it became available for purchase online, and originally shipped with three free months of Netflix. Google later cancelled the Netflix offer, citing an inability to keep up with demand.
Follow Thomas Halleck on Twitter
The Chromecast’s support for Hulu Plus is made available following a software update to the TV-streaming app that Hulu said it is “rolling... out throughout the day” on Wednesday. Google said that the Chromecast would support Pandora Internet Radio (NYSE
) when it was launched in July, but the music streaming company has not announced an official timetable for when it would begin supporting the dongle.
Chromecast is sold by Google on its Play Store as well as through Amazon.com and Best Buy. The $35 (plus tax) dongle connects to a television’s HDMI port as well as a USB or wall socket for power. The Chromecast then connects to a WiFi network to stream movies, TV shows and music, although it currently only officially supports songs purchased from the Play Store and streaming from Google’s premium All Access music service.
The Chromecast is also capable of “casting”, or streaming from a tab in the Chrome web browser. By tab-casting, users can use the Chromecast to stream Pandora as well as competitors like Spotify and Songza, as well as the free version of Hulu. The International Business Times reviewed the Chromecast in August, noting that the “only inconvenience about tab-casting from Chrome was that it uses the browser as the remote control,” requiring users to get up to make changes or pause what’s playing. IBTimes said that current Netflix “members are going to find a lot to like in the device,” but non-members should “wait until a few more applications become available.”
Media outlets like TechCrunch criticized Google in August for an update to the Chromecast’s firmware that removed support for AllCast, an app developed by Koushik Dutta that let users stream straight from Android smartphones. Dutta, an Android developer with over 80,000 followers on Google Play, said at the time that the “policy seems to be a heavy handed approach, where only approved content will be played through the device. The Chromecast will probably not be indie developer friendly.” Dutta told his followers to hold off on purchasing the Chromecast until it became clear “how Google chooses to move forward on third party applications.”
The Chromecast quickly sold out when it became available for purchase online, and originally shipped with three free months of Netflix. Google later cancelled the Netflix offer, citing an inability to keep up with demand.
Follow Thomas Halleck on Twitter