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Apple could be preparing one of the biggest changes to AirPlay in years. And, surprisingly, the EU might be the reason it’s finally happening.
According to a new Bloomberg report, iOS 27 may introduce native support for third-party streaming protocols like Google Cast. This could potentially allow iPhone users to choose alternatives to AirPlay as their default casting option.
Right now, AirPlay is deeply baked into iOS, while services like Chromecast only work if individual app developers manually add support. That’s why casting from an iPhone can still feel oddly inconsistent depending on the app you’re using.
If this report is accurate, iOS 27 could change that completely.
Bloomberg says Apple is working on support for “third-party AirPlay streaming alternatives” as part of its ongoing response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Notably, it specifically mentioned Google Cast. There is also the possibility of users setting a preferred casting system, which would mean users are not locked into AirPlay by default.
That would be a pretty major shift for Apple, especially considering how tightly it usually controls ecosystem features like media streaming. However, the EU has already forced the company to open up parts of iOS in recent years. These changes include alternative app stores and third-party browser engines. So this feels like the next logical step.
And honestly, this would solve a very real annoyance for mixed-device households.
Google Cast is available on a huge number of TVs, smart displays, and speakers from brands outside Apple’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, AirPlay support on Android devices is still extremely limited. Therefore, giving iPhone users native Google Cast support could make streaming far less frustrating for families, helping those with both Android and iPhone devices under the same roof.
There’s still an important catch though. Like many EU-driven iPhone changes, this feature may end up region-locked.
Apple has often limited compliance features to Europe rather than rolling them out globally. Reports suggest this could follow the same pattern. So while native Chromecast support on iPhone suddenly feels more realistic than ever, there’s a good chance users outside the EU might miss out.
Still, if Apple really does allow third-party casting systems to sit alongside AirPlay at the OS level, it could quietly become one of the most useful quality-of-life upgrades in iOS 27.
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