Casting Is Dead — What That Means for Smart TV Makers and App Developers

Why this matters now: a blunt problem for device makers, app teams and advertisers

Netflix’s quiet decision in January 2026 to stop supporting mobile-to-TV casting for most devices is not a small UX tweak — it’s a structural shock to how viewers move from pocket to big screen. For smart TV makers, streaming-device OEMs and app developers, the loss of casting exposes three immediate pain points: lost measurement and ad control, fractured playback handoffs, and the sudden need to own the TV experience end-to-end.

If you build, ship or monetize streaming experiences, this article lays out exactly what changed, why the change matters technically and commercially, and the precise product and engineering moves you should make in 2026 to protect revenue and viewer experience.

What happened: the short version

In early 2026 Netflix removed the ubiquitous "Cast" option from its mobile apps for a wide range of smart TVs and streaming sticks. The company retained casting only for a handful of legacy endpoints — older Chromecast adapters without remotes, Nest Hub displays, and select branded TVs from a few manufacturers. For the rest, Netflix expects users to open the Netflix app that’s built into the TV platform instead of sending playback from phone to screen.

"Casting is dead. Long live casting!" — public reactions and industry commentary in January 2026 captured a shift: Netflix is trading second‑screen handoff for native TV control and measurement.

Why Netflix did this (and why it’s logical)

Several rationales converge: content protection and DRM assurance; tighter ad and measurement control for ad‑supported tiers; predictable UX on licensed TV apps; and long‑term device fragmentation management. Each explains part of Netflix’s calculus.

1. Stronger control over DRM and playback security

Casting depends on heterogeneous stacks: mobile OS, Cast protocols, and the receiving device’s player. For premium resolution, HDR and advertiser guarantees, studios and rights holders demand strict DRM compliance (Widevine, PlayReady) and hardware anchors (HDCP). A native TV app with certified DRM and codecs is a simpler, verifiable path for studios and Netflix.

2. Better ad measurement and monetization

The past two years (late 2024–2025) saw rapid growth in CTV advertising and server‑side ad insertion (SSAI). Advertisers and networks increasingly require reliable impression counting, viewability standards, and household targeting that’s hard to guarantee when a mobile actor merely instructs another device to play. By moving viewers to native TV apps, Netflix can deliver cleaner ad signals, unified device IDs (household graphs), and server‑side insertions that work at the headend.

3. Predictable UX and certification

TV platforms are chaotic: Android TV, Google TV, Roku, webOS, Tizen, and bespoke Linux stacks all behave differently. Maintaining a single, consistent Netflix experience on the TV itself is easier to control than supporting hundreds of casting endpoints that behave inconsistently.

Technical fallout: what breaks and what needs rework

The change affects several technical layers. Here’s what your teams must audit now.

Casting protocols and SDK dependencies

Many apps integrated Google Cast SDK or platform‑specific remote playback APIs to hand off streams and playback state. With Netflix’s change, those code paths stop being the primary route to TV playback. Audit your apps for:

• Cast/GoogleCast SDK usage and fallback logic
• Session transfer code that relies on the sender device to hold the session
• Telemetry and analytics tied to cast events

Authentication & account linking

Casting often bypasses complex TV authentication — the phone is logged in and tells the TV to play. Native TV apps require TV‑side login flows (QR codes, device codes, SSO). Expect spikes in support requests and plan for robust account linking.

Ad insertion and measurement

Advertisers will demand SSAI, deduplicated impressions, and measurement that ties to the TV device. If your monetization relies on client‑side ad stitching or mobile proxying, you’ll lose fidelity. Migrate to server‑side ad platforms, MRC‑compliant measurement tools and household graph integration.

Product implications for smart TV makers

Device makers are the most exposed. If Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service, insists on native TV apps, manufacturers can’t take the Netflix presence for granted.

1. Re‑certify and prioritize native TV apps

Ensure your platform maintains a fully featured, certified Netflix app. Certification must include:

• DRM pipelines (Widevine L1, PlayReady L1 where required)
• AV1/HEVC/VP9 and HDR codec support for quality parity
• Audio formats (Dolby Digital Plus, Atmos) compliance

2. Negotiate for placement and revenue share

With Netflix pushing users into TV apps, platform placement, speed of app updates and visibility in the home screen matter more. Expect a new round of carriage and placement conversations. If you’re a TV OEM, push for compensation or co‑marketing in exchange for optimized Netflix support.

3. Invest in simpler account linking

Consumers dislike tedious TV logins. Ship QR‑pairing, device code flows and support for federated SSO to reduce friction. Track support call volumes and fix pain points quickly — onboarding speed directly affects usage metrics.

Actionable roadmap for app developers

Netflix’s move turns the second screen from a primary playback mechanism into an optional remote and discovery surface. Here’s a prioritized checklist for engineering and product teams.

Immediate (0–30 days)

• Audit dependencies: Find all code paths that initiate casting and map what data and metrics you’ll lose.
• Measure impact: Instrument analytics to track how many users relied on casting and which TV models are affected.
• Support prep: Update help docs and in‑app messaging to explain the change and give clear alternatives.

Near term (1–4 months)

• Build/ship companion features: If you can no longer hand off playback, make the mobile app a richer discovery and remote control tool — queueing, watchlists, synced resumes and voice search.
• Implement robust account linking: QR pairing, device codes and OAuth flows that minimize friction.
• Move ad logic server‑side: Start migrating ad stitching to SSAI and align measurement with TV app signals.

Medium term (4–12 months)

• Ship or improve native TV apps: Prioritize platforms that matter for your audience; certify DRM and codec support.
• Introduce companion UX patterns: Use the phone as a discovery canvas (watchlists, social cues), but make transitions fast via deep linking and robust resume states.
• Improve telemetry: Tie mobile discovery events to TV playback sessions using household identifiers and hashed tokens, within privacy rules.

Alternative second‑screen strategies that work in 2026

Casting’s decline doesn’t kill second‑screen experiences — it just swaps the role. Expect the phone to become the orchestration layer for TV, not the playback engine. Consider these proven patterns:

• Remote‑first apps: Use WebSocket or cloud messaging to turn the phone into a low‑latency remote that controls a TV native session. Implement replay, skip, subtitles and profile switching.
• Companion discovery: Surface personalized recommendations on mobile, then deep‑link to the TV app. Use a seamless transfer token so the TV app resumes where mobile suggested.
• Social & co‑watch: Use synchronized timelines and cloud‑based clocks rather than local cast clocks; build shareable watch parties that join native TV apps via pairing codes.
• Shoppable and interactive overlays: Move commerce and interactive elements to the phone while video runs on the TV — this preserves responsiveness and keeps ads integrated.

Ad and revenue consequences: where the dollars will flow

The big advertising winners are likely to be platforms and device makers that can demonstrate reliable impressions on big screens. Here’s how budgets may shift in 2026:

• More investment in CTV app buys: Brands will prefer buying inventory inside TV apps where SSAI and household targeting work best.
• Less value on mobile‑initiated casts: If ad measurement tied to cast sessions is weak, agencies will de‑prioritize those impressions.
• Premium pricing for certified devices: OEMs that can guarantee DRM, viewability and measurement will command higher ad CPMs and preferred placements.
• New product opportunities: Companion shoppable ads, second‑screen promotions and cross‑device couponing are more viable because the TV app handles primary playback and ad delivery.

Risk and regulation: privacy and anti‑competitive questions

Removing casting raises concerns beyond UX. Regulators and platform watchdogs are watching how vertically integrated ecosystems can steer consumers. Two risk areas matter in 2026:

• Privacy and household graphing: Tying mobile discovery to TV playback should respect global privacy rules (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and new 2025–2026 privacy guidance). Adopt privacy‑forward household identifiers and clear consent flows.
• Platform competitiveness: If big streamers favor their own apps over open casting ecosystems, regulators in some jurisdictions could scrutinize the practice for anticompetitive impact. Device makers should document negotiations and access parity objectively.

Case study: a hypothetical device maker’s pivot

Consider "OrionTV," a mid‑shelf smart TV OEM that relied on casting to reduce the engineering burden of maintaining a full Netflix client. After the January 2026 changes Orion saw a 20% drop in usage time on average and a spike in support tickets. Their recovery plan included:

• Expedited Netflix app certification and firmware updates to enable Widevine L1 support.
• Co‑marketing with Netflix to regain placement on the home row.
• Investments in QR/SSO pairing and a simplified onboarding flow to eliminate friction.

Within three months Orion recovered most of the lost engagement metrics and negotiated a modest revenue‑share guarantee for prime app placement.

What Chromecast users should know

If you’re a developer or device team that specifically relied on Google Cast, note the distinction: legacy Chromecasts without remotes still work as passive receivers in some cases, but modern Chromecast with Google TV generally expects a native app. Don’t assume casting will remain the default cross‑device pattern — plan for the sender to be a discovery/remote surface, not a playback host.

Checklist: immediate technical fixes your team can ship this sprint

Ship these high‑impact changes in the next 1–4 weeks to blunt the worst fallout.

1. Patch your mobile app help screens to explain the casting change and offer next‑steps.
2. Instrument and publish the list of affected TV models to customer support to reduce calls.
3. Enable QR‑pairing or device code authentication for TV apps if not already present.
4. Start a project to migrate client‑side ad stitching to SSAI and identify vendors.
5. Prepare a PRFAQ for stakeholders (legal, partnerships, ad ops) summarizing business risks.

Longer term bets: where smart TV UX and ads evolve next

By 2027 you should expect:

• Deep TV‑mobile integration: Phones will be discovery/control hubs for native TV sessions with secure token exchange and ephemeral session IDs.
• Household ad graphs: Advertisers will double down on household‑level targeting across living‑room devices, prioritized in auction floors.
• More certified TV hardware tiers: OEMs will segment devices by certification level (premium certified vs. basic) with corresponding licensing and ad revenue options.
• New second‑screen revenue streams: Shoppable overlays and synchronized companion ads will become standard ad units tied to TV playback.

Final recommendation: treat this as an opportunity, not just a loss

Netflix’s decision cracks open an uncomfortable short‑term problem — but it also clarifies a long‑term winner: whoever owns the TV app and the household identity will control most of the streaming value chain. If you’re an OEM, prioritize certification, onboarding and app placement. If you’re an app developer, pivot the mobile phone into a compelling discovery and remote surface while investing in native TV presence, SSAI and robust measurement.

Key takeaways

• Casting is no longer the default playback path: Plan for native TV apps as the primary place where playback, ads and measurement happen.
• Invest in account linking and frictionless TV onboarding: Reduce churn and support costs by shipping QR and device code flows fast.
• Move ad stitching server‑side and align metrics with TV signals: Advertisers will reward clean impressions on certified apps.
• Use the phone as orchestration, not host: Make the mobile app indispensable for discovery, control and commerce while handing playback to the TV.

The streaming ecosystem is in active flux in 2026. Netflix’s casting change is just one move in a larger reorientation toward certified TV experiences, household‑level monetization and SSAI‑driven ad markets. Teams that act quickly — prioritizing native apps, seamless account linking and server‑side ad architecture — will convert disruption into competitive advantage.

Call to action

If you manage a streaming app or ship smart TV hardware, start with an impact audit this week: map which devices and user journeys relied on cast handoffs, quantify the revenue and UX delta, and schedule a 30‑day sprint to implement QR pairing and companion remote features. Need a prioritized checklist tailored to your platform? Contact our editorial team or download our technical playbook for CTV adaptation in 2026.

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