Casting is dead. Long live casting!
TL;DR
Netflix unexpectedly removed casting from its mobile apps to most smart TVs and devices, now limiting it to older Chromecasts, Nest Hubs, and select TVs, marking a significant shift in its strategy.
This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week.
Last month, Netflix made the surprising decision to kill off a key feature: With no prior warning, the company removed the ability to cast videos from its mobile apps to a wide range of smart TVs and streaming devices. Casting is now only supported on older Chromecast streaming adapters that didn't ship with a remote, Nest Hub smart displays, and select Vizio and Compal smart TVs.
That's a stunning departure for the company. Prior to those changes, Netflix allowed casting to a …