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- In addition to simply bringing us this oft-requested, long-awaited casting functionality to Amazon's app, Google's also taking steps to properly integrate Amazon content at the same level of some of the other biggest names in streaming media. And that spells full compatibility with Assistant voice commands on Google Home.
It's been a few months since Google and Amazon decided to put down their weapons and collaborate to make everyone's lives easier. After years of the two giants battling it out, banning their services from their competitor's platform, and essentially forcing users to choose one camp over the other, the agreement was both unexpected and long overdue. Today, we get to reap the fruits of that accord.
YouTube app on Fire TV.
First, the YouTube app is officially back on the Fire TV. It will appear on the Your Apps and Channels row on compatible devices worldwide, and all you need to do is select it, download it, sign in, and start using it. If not, you can find it on the Amazon Appstore. The app supports up to 4K HDR video at 60fps and is compatible with Alexa, so you can search, start playing, and control playback with voice commands.
The Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick Basic Edition, plus Toshiba, Insignia, Element, and Westinghouse Fire TV Edition smart TVs are now supported. More Fire TV devices will be added in the future. Later in the year, the YouTube TV and YouTube Kids apps will follow the regular app and launch on Fire TV as well.
Amazon Prime Video app on Android TV.
On the other hand, Amazon is adding Chromecast compatibility to its Prime Video app on Android (5.0 and above) and iOS (10.1 or higher). The update will begin rolling out today and once you have it, you'll be able to cast content from Prime Video to first-party Chromecasts and other Chromecast built-in devices.
Additionally, the Prime Video app for Android TV is spreading beyond the devices where it's currently available and should be ready to install on all sorts of Android TV set-top boxes, streaming sticks, and TVs.
The updated, castable app (Thanks: Jeffrey)
UPDATE: 2019/07/09 2:06pm PDT BY STEPHEN SCHENCK
In addition to simply bringing us this oft-requested, long-awaited casting functionality to Amazon's app, Google's also taking steps to properly integrate Amazon content at the same level of some of the other biggest names in streaming media. And that spells full compatibility with Assistant voice commands on Google Home.
After linking the Amazon app to your Google account, you'll be able to say things like "play Jack Ryan on Amazon on the TV" and have the service properly respond.
It may have taken forever and a day to get Amazon videos on Chromecast, but it's nice to see it all finally coming together so well.
UPDATE: 2019/07/23 1:58pm PDT BY STEPHEN SCHENCK
A couple weeks after adding Prime Video to its list of voice-controllable video solutions, Amazon's offering has been removed. Indeed, we attempted to access it this afternoon and were unable to even link the app in Home to set things up.
At the moment it is unclear if or when this functionality will be restored.