Will there be a native for Sony Android TV?

[Anonymous User]

Hello,

I'm using the casting function to my Sony Android TV. Will there be a fully fledged app for it?

Thanks.
Ashley

[Anonymous User]

Hi Everyone,

It's possible it'll be introduced in the future, but I doubt it's due any time soon given you can already watch NOW TV via Google Cast on Android TV devices. There are lots of other platforms people ask for that I'm guessing we'd develop first.

Thanks,

Tom

[Anonymous User]

Hi Tom,

Doesn't casting take two of your four allowed devices up - one for the mobile / tablet and one for the player? 

This isn't really just another platform though is it, it's Android. 

edit: When the older boxes cost a tenner from supermarkets, do you really need to add new platforms rather than focus on the ones you've got? 😕

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User no, you don't need the phone to be in your four devices, just the thing you cast to. The stream runs completely independently of the phone as well, so once you've initiated it, you can do what you want on the phone.

Just make sure to hit the cast icon before tapping the play button on what you want to watch.

Thanks,

Tom

[Anonymous User]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Hi Everyone,

It's possible it'll be introduced in the future, but I doubt it's due any time soon given you can already watch NOW TV via Google Cast on Android TV devices. There are lots of other platforms people ask for that I'm guessing we'd develop first.

Thanks,

Tom

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I think that's a fair answer (although equally I agree I'd love to see a native Android TV app), there's still the issue that Google Cast on Android TV devices only currently seems to work on the Nexus Player, not the Sony or Nvidia Shield Android TV devices. 

That being said, I know you've now acknowledged this issue, and are working on a solution.

[Anonymous User]

+1 for a native app

Leanback support for the existing app isn't the same as a whole new app. You could have this running in an afternoon.

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User except the video for mobiles/tablets is different to the one for big screens including the Chromecast. 

[Anonymous User]

The Android phone app will install and run on android tv, you just need to know how to transfer files to you tv. The problem is the tv doesn't know which way it is orintated in the selection menu and has no touch screen. Once you have selected a film every thing is fine. Not much to fix really. But why would sky fix it when they can sell you one of there own, nearly obsolete, set top boxes and dishes? 

[Anonymous User]

Android TV app please..

[Anonymous User]

Hi, the issue here is not Sony, but that Sky have signed an exclusive agreement with LG to only allow native Now TV in their TV's. Until this agreement Sky have locked them selves out of the market, the number of forums where Now TV users have gone to the other two main players is major. I would re activate my Now TV account tomorrow if their was a native app, having 2 X Sony Android TV's I don't want add on boxes so have decided until it allows its app on android smart TV's, which as someone else said should be simple, it in fact is their already it is just blocked in the code by Sky. Once this comes to Sony and other TV's Now TV will see tens if not hundreds of thousands of users come flooding back including me!

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Hello,

I'm using the casting function to my Sony Android TV. Will there be a fully fledged app for it?

Thanks.
Ashley

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[Anonymous User]

completely missing the killer feature of android tv which is live channels.
If now TV were to introduce a native android tv app with live channels support it would be a gamechanger.

adding in android TV support is trivial for the devs, which leads me to suggest its bureaucracy thats holding it back.