Does Apple Music on Android support Chromecast?

Apple Music is Apple’s streaming music service that allows users to access over 90 million songs, playlists, music videos and more. It was initially launched in 2015 for iOS devices, but recently Apple has expanded Apple Music to also be available on Android devices.

Android is Google’s mobile operating system that powers millions of smartphones and tablets globally. With Apple Music now available on Android, this allows Android device owners to subscribe and utilize the Apple Music service.

Chromecast is a digital media streaming device from Google that plugs into a TV or monitor’s HDMI port. It allows users to wirelessly “cast” videos, music and more from supported phone apps over to the TV. This provides an easy way to enjoy content on a bigger screen.

What is Apple Music?

Apple Music is a music and video streaming service developed by Apple. It offers access to over 90 million songs, 30,000 playlists, and music videos (CITE URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Music). The service launched on June 30, 2015 and quickly gained popularity, reaching over 60 million subscribers by 2020 (CITE URL: https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/music/the-history-of-apple-music-exploring-its-evolution).

Apple Music allows users to stream music and music videos, download them for offline listening, and get recommendations based on listening history and preferences. The service offers curated playlists across various genres as well as Beats 1, Apple’s global live radio station.

Apple Music evolved from earlier iTunes music services. iTunes was initially launched in 2001 as a digital music library and store, later expanding to include movies, TV shows, apps and more. In 2003, the iTunes Store launched, allowing users to purchase individual songs rather than full albums. This helped popularize the digital music market (CITE URL: https://soundiiz.com/blog/the-history-of-apple-music/).

Over time, Apple added subscription streaming capabilities to iTunes. This eventually led to the launch of Apple Music as a standalone subscription service in 2015, cementing Apple’s position as a major player in music streaming.

Apple Music on Android

The Apple Music app is available for download on Android devices from the Google Play Store. It provides Android users with access to Apple’s streaming music catalog of over 100 million songs, as well as Apple exclusives like Beats 1 radio.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple has been working on bringing some new features from iOS 17 to the Android version of Apple Music [1]. This includes an updated media player with new controls and Fullscreen lyrics view. The latest 4.3.0 beta version of the app has already added some of these upcoming features.

The Apple Music app on Android has core functionality like the ability to stream music, download songs for offline playback, view exclusive video content, get personalized recommendations, and access your music library. However, some iOS-exclusive features like Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio are not yet supported.

While the Android app lacks some minor features present on iOS, it provides a solid Apple Music experience. Users report smooth performance and responsive controls according to reviews on the Play Store. Overall, Android users get access to Apple’s huge music catalog and key features like curated playlists.

What is Chromecast?

Chromecast is a digital media streaming device developed by Google that allows you to “cast” content from your mobile device or computer to a TV or speaker. The original Chromecast, launched in 2013, was a small dongle that plugged into an HDMI port. Newer versions like the Chromecast with Google TV plug directly into the TV’s USB port and come with a remote control.

Chromecasts work by connecting to your WiFi network and allowing you to mirror or stream content from supported apps on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Some of the most popular apps with Chromecast integration include YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Disney+, and many more. Chromecast can stream content up to 1080p HD resolution and supports audio streaming as well.

Chromecast is capable of streaming a wide variety of media including video, music, photos, web content, and more. The Chromecast device itself does not contain any internal storage. Rather, you “cast” media from an app on your device to play on the connected TV or speaker.

Some key capabilities and features of Chromecast devices include:

Streams video and audio over WiFi from hundreds of supported apps
Resolution up to 4K with Chromecast Ultra
Voice controls via Google Assistant integration

Ability to “cast” an entire device screen or browser tab
Works with both Android and iOS devices
Small form factor, powered via USB

Low cost, starting around $30 USD

Chromecast support is built directly into many smart TVs and speakers as well. Overall, Chromecasts provide an easy and affordable way to stream entertainment to your TV from a wide range of devices and services.

Streaming Apple Music to Chromecast

Here is how to connect and stream Apple Music from your Android device to a Chromecast device:

Make sure both your Android device and Chromecast are connected to the same WiFi network.
Open the Apple Music app on your Android device.
In Apple Music, select a song, album, playlist or other content you want to play.

Tap the Cast button – it looks like a TV with a WiFi symbol.
Select your Chromecast device from the list.
The selected Apple Music content will now start playing on your TV/speakers connected to the Chromecast.

Use playback controls in the Apple Music app on your Android device to pause, skip tracks, adjust volume etc.

The Cast button makes it easy to wirelessly stream Apple Music tracks, albums, playlists and more directly from the Apple Music app on Android to a Chromecast device connected to your TV or speakers.

Does Apple Music on Android Support Chromecast?

Yes, Apple Music on Android does support Chromecast, allowing you to stream music, playlists, radio stations, and more from the Apple Music app on your Android device to a TV or speakers connected to a Chromecast dongle.

This Chromecast integration was added in a September 2019 update to the Apple Music app for Android. With this update, Android users can tap the Chromecast icon within the Apple Music app to seamlessly stream content to their Chromecast device.

According to an article on FoneArena, the Chromecast support allows you to “Listen to your favourite music on Android phone and control playback on TV or speakers using Chromecast.”

So in summary, yes Apple Music’s Android app does have Chromecast capabilities to wirelessly stream music and other audio content to speakers and screens. This feature brings the Apple Music Android experience closer in line with the native iOS app.

Limitations

There are a few notable limitations when using Apple Music with Chromecast, especially when casting from an Android device:

Apple Music on Android cannot cast live radio stations to Chromecast. When attempting to cast live radio, users will see an error message stating “cannot cast live radio stations.” [1]

Songs longer than 15 minutes get cut off when casting Apple Music from an Android device to Chromecast. The song stops playing after exactly 15 minutes, frustrating users who want to listen to longer tracks. [2]

Casting reliability and stability is not as robust compared to casting from an iOS device. Some users report frequent disconnects, lag, and other glitches when casting Apple Music from Android. The integration seems less polished than the iOS experience.

Certain smart displays and speakers, like Google Nest devices, don’t show Apple Music as a casting source on Android. So those devices can’t be used as readily to cast Apple Music from an Android phone.

In general, the Apple Music casting experience feels more limited and prone to issues when casting from Android vs iOS. But it’s still possible to cast Apple Music to Chromecast, with some patience required to work around the limitations.

Tips for Streaming Apple Music to Chromecast

Here are some tips for smoothly streaming Apple Music from your Android device to Chromecast:

Make sure both your Android device and Chromecast are on the same WiFi network. Connecting to the same network is required for casting to work properly.

Update the Apple Music app and the Google Home app to the latest versions. App updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements for casting.
Close any other apps running in the background on your Android device before streaming. This frees up RAM and processing power for the casting.
Restart your Chromecast if you experience any issues with connecting or streaming. Unplug your Chromecast from power for about 30 seconds and plug it back in.

Adjust your router placement if you notice songs buffering or intermittent connectivity drops. Place your router centrally in your home or apartment for optimal WiFi coverage.
Connect your Android device to your Chromecast with an audio cable if connectivity issues persist. Though less convenient, a direct audio connection will provide uninterrupted playback.

Following these tips should help provide a smooth streaming experience for Apple Music between your Android device and Chromecast. Let us know if any other issues arise!

Alternatives

Since Apple Music does not natively support Chromecast streaming, there are some alternatives for getting Apple Music to play on speakers. Here are a few options:

Use AirPlay – If you have AirPlay compatible speakers like HomePods or Apple TVs, you can stream Apple Music directly over AirPlay. This allows you to play Apple Music on speakers without Chromecast.

Connect using an auxiliary cable – You can connect your Android phone or tablet directly to a speaker using an auxiliary cable. This will let you play Apple Music through the speaker.

Use a Bluetooth speaker – Many Bluetooth speakers will work with the Apple Music app on Android. You can pair your device to the Bluetooth speaker and stream audio that way.

Connect to speakers using DLNA – There are apps like BubbleUPnP that let you stream music to DLNA compatible speakers. You can use these apps to play Apple Music on speakers like Sonos.

Switch services – Consider switching to a service like Spotify that offers native Chromecast support if having that feature is important.

Conclusion

To recap, Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming service available on both iOS and Android devices. While Apple Music on Android does not natively support Chromecast streaming, there are a few workarounds to wirelessly stream Apple Music to Chromecast-enabled devices.

The easiest option is to use a third-party app like Tunelfy to cast Apple Music to Chromecast. You can also mirror your Android device’s screen to Chromecast, which will stream all audio including Apple Music. Limitations include inability to control playback from the Chromecast device and potential lag/quality issues when mirroring.

Overall, while Apple Music on Android lacks built-in Chromecast integration, there are still methods to get Apple Music streaming wirelessly to your Chromecast device. The workarounds provide functional but imperfect solutions until native support is hopefully added in the future.