Report: iOS 27 May Let EU Users Set Google Cast as their Default Wireless Casting Solution

To comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple is reportedly planning to let iOS users in the EU choose another default wireless streaming technology than AirPlay to cast content on other devices. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is reporting that Google Cast, probably the most popular alternative to Apple’s AirPlay technology, could be integrated at the system level on iOS 27, which is expected to be announced in June during Apple’s WWDC developer conference.

“Apple, looking to satisfy the latest requirements of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, is building support into iOS 27 for third-party AirPlay streaming alternatives, I’m told. This means that outside services — such as Google Cast — can be set by users as the default solution for beaming video, photos and audio from an Apple device to a speaker or TV,” Gurman wrote.

Apple’s AirPlay technology works great for streaming from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible speaker or smart TV, but Google Cast is just more ubiquitous. There are other alternatives, such as Matter Casting, which is based on the Matter smart home standard. However, it is still quite niche despite Amazon’s integration of it into its Echo Show and Fire TV smart TVs.

In 2023, the EU Commission designated iOS, the App Store, and Safari as “gatekeepers” that need to be regulated under the DMA. As a result, Apple has been forced to allow third-party app stores and alternative web browser engines on its mobile platform in the EU, but the company is not done implementing other changes to comply with the new EU law. iOS 26.5, which was released earlier this month, also allowed third-party accessories like smart watches to receive and display notifications and Live Activities from an iPhone.