14 DAY TRIAL // The Google Chromecast wireless device, which has just gotten an iOS app, not so long after Android users got theirs, has a lot of potential, but most people are still unconvinced by the cheap device for a very simple reason: there's not much you can do with it for now.
The problem is that the Chromecast only works with a very short list of approved apps, namely YouTube, Netflix and, on Android, Google Play Movies.
That's not about to change anytime soon either as, for one, the device is still rather new, so the software and the SDK aren't complete, and second, Google doesn't seem too keen to open up access to just everyone.
Those fears seem to have been confirmed when a Chromecast update broke functionality that an universal streaming video app for the device needed.
The app, dubbed AllCast, made it possible to stream any video from your device to the TV. This was great for streaming videos you've shot on your phone, or movies you downloaded from the Pirate Bay, as the case may be.
Since this was the second time the app stopped working due to changes to the Chromecast software, the app's maker accused Google of doing it on purpose.
But it turns out that's not the case, or, at least, Google claims that it didn't set out to block the app on purpose.
“We’re excited to bring more content to Chromecast and would like to support all types of apps, including those for local content. It’s still early days for the Google Cast SDK, which we just released in developer preview for early development and testing only," Google explained.
“We expect that the SDK will continue to change before we launch out of developer preview, and want to provide a great experience for users and developers before making the SDK and additional apps more broadly available,” it added.