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Google Cast SDK and Cross-Device Streaming

19 posts · Dec 2012 – May 2022

What this trail covers

This feature thread tracks the evolution of Google's efforts to enable seamless content streaming and interactive experiences across devices. Early efforts focused on providing developers with the tools and SDKs to integrate casting capabilities into their applications, allowing users to control playback and stream content from their mobile devices to a larger screen. Subsequent developments have seen the release of the native YouTube Player API for Android, allowing for direct integration of YouTube playback within Android applications, eliminating the need for WebViews and improving performance and user experience.

All Google trails
  1. Introducing the Google Meet Live Sharing SDK- Google Developers BlogIntroduced the Google Meet Live Sharing SDK, enabling developers to integrate real-time collaborative experiences (co-watching, co-editing) into their applications. This SDK leverages Google Meet's infrastructure to facilitate seamless cross-device interaction and shared experiences.
  2. Introducing Cast Connect: a better way to integrate Google Cast directly into your Android TV apps- Google Developers BlogIntroduced Cast Connect, a new SDK that allows Android apps to directly integrate Google Cast functionality into their Android TV apps. This enables Android apps to control Cast sessions on Android TV devices, providing a more seamless user experience for casting content. Cast Connect handles the communication between the Android app and the Android TV device, abstracting away the complexities of the Cast protocol.
  3. New Google Cast SDK released for Android and iOS- Google Developers BlogThe Google Cast SDK has been released for Android and iOS, enabling developers to integrate casting capabilities into their applications. This SDK allows for control of playback and streaming of content from mobile devices to a larger screen.
  4. Introducing VR view: embed immersive content into your apps and websites- Google Developers BlogIntroduced VR View, a new library for embedding 360-degree photos and videos into web pages and Android apps. VR View leverages WebGL for web and OpenGL ES for Android, providing a performant way to render immersive content. It supports basic VR headset interactions and allows for programmatic control of the view.
  5. Introducing Analytics for Google Cast Applications- Google Developers BlogIntroduces analytics for Google Cast applications, providing developers with tools to track user engagement, application performance, and identify areas for improvement. This includes metrics for session duration, playback events, and error reporting, enabling data-driven decision-making for Cast app development.
  7. Spatial audio comes to the Cardboard SDK- Google Developers BlogIntroduced spatial audio capabilities to the Cardboard SDK, allowing developers to create more immersive virtual reality experiences by simulating 3D sound environments. This enhances the audio component of VR applications built with Cardboard.
  8. Google Cast Remote Display Plugin for Unity- Google Developers BlogIntroduced the Google Cast Remote Display Plugin for Unity, allowing developers to stream Unity content to Cast-enabled devices. This plugin facilitates the creation of cross-device experiences by enabling the display of Unity applications on larger screens via Google Cast.
  9. Bringing Google Cardboard and VR to the world- Google Developers BlogIntroduced Google Cardboard and VR support, enabling developers to create immersive virtual reality experiences and extend cross-device streaming to VR platforms.
  10. Wow your users with Google Cast- Google Developers BlogThis post introduces Google Cast as a technology that allows users to "wow" their users by enabling them to stream content from their mobile devices to a larger screen. It highlights the ability to control playback and stream content, implying the SDK and associated tools for developers to integrate this functionality.
  11. Cast Remote Display API: Processing- Google Developers BlogIntroduced the Cast Remote Display API, enabling Android applications to render their UI on a remote display (like a TV) while the user interacts with the app on their phone. This allows for richer, second-screen experiences for apps that benefit from a larger display.
  12. Quake® III on your TV with Cast Remote Display API- Google Developers BlogThis post introduces the Cast Remote Display API, which allows developers to extend their Android applications to a second screen, such as a TV, for an enhanced user experience. It demonstrates this capability by enabling Quake® III to be played on a TV, with the game rendering on the TV and the Android device acting as a controller. This leverages the Google Cast SDK to provide a second-screen experience.
  13. Announcing new Google Cast APIs- Google Developers BlogThis post announces new Google Cast APIs, including the Cast SDK for Android, Cast SDK for iOS, and Cast SDK for Chrome. These APIs enable developers to build Cast-enabled applications for various platforms, allowing users to stream content from their mobile devices to a larger screen. The new APIs offer improved functionality and flexibility for developers, facilitating the creation of richer and more interactive casting experiences.
  14. Building Games with Google Cast is Easy and Powerful- Google Developers BlogThis post introduces the Google Cast SDK, enabling developers to build games that run on mobile devices and are controlled by a second screen (e.g., a smartphone). It highlights the ease of development and the powerful capabilities for creating interactive gaming experiences. The post details how to get started with the SDK, including setting up a sender application and a receiver application, and provides examples of game mechanics that can be implemented.
  15. Cast Away with Android TV and Google Cast- Google Developers BlogThis post introduces the integration of Android TV and Google Cast, enabling developers to extend their Android applications to the TV screen. It highlights how Google Cast allows for seamless content streaming from mobile devices to Android TV, and how developers can leverage this to create a unified cross-device experience.
  16. Ready to cast: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK- Google Developers BlogThis post announces the opening of the Google Cast SDK to developers, allowing them to build their own casting applications and experiences. This marks a significant step in enabling cross-device streaming and interactive content experiences.
  17. Cast content from your apps to TV with the Google Cast SDK- Google Developers BlogIntroduced the Google Cast SDK, enabling developers to build applications that can cast content from mobile devices to TVs. This SDK provides the necessary tools and APIs for developers to integrate casting functionality into their apps, allowing for remote control of media playback and a richer cross-device experience.
  18. A classic boardwalk game rolls from your phone to your computer—using only your browser- Google Developers BlogIntroduces a new capability to stream classic boardwalk games from a phone to a computer using only a browser, extending cross-device streaming beyond traditional media playback.
  19. No WebView required, with native YouTube Player API for Android- Google Developers BlogIntroduced the native YouTube Player API for Android, allowing direct integration of YouTube playback within Android applications. This eliminates the need for WebViews, improving performance and user experience for embedded video playback.