iOS 27 Breaks AirPlay’s Casting Monopoly
Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 release marks one of the biggest shifts in how iPhones handle wireless media. For the first time, iOS will support third-party casting protocols alongside AirPlay, including Google Cast, the streaming technology used by many Android phones, TVs, and streaming sticks. Reports indicate Apple is building system-level support so iPhone and iPad users can beam video, photos, and audio to Google Cast–compatible devices just as easily as they do with AirPlay today. Crucially, users will be able to choose whether AirPlay or a rival protocol acts as the default method for casting. This move effectively ends AirPlay’s status as the only first-class casting option on iOS and opens the door for broader interoperability with non-Apple hardware, from smart TVs to speakers and affordable streaming dongles.
How the Digital Markets Act Forced Apple’s Hand
The change is not happening because Apple suddenly fell in love with open ecosystems. It is being driven by compliance with the Digital Markets Act, a sweeping regulation targeting dominant tech platforms. The DMA is designed to curb gatekeeper control by forcing companies like Apple to loosen restrictions around core platform services. Apple has publicly criticized the rules, citing vague requirements and security risks, and has already limited certain new features in Europe while pushing back against regulators. Nevertheless, it has been compelled to allow third-party app stores, alternative payment options, and sideloading on iOS. Extending support to AirPlay alternatives fits the same pattern: Apple is making targeted concessions to avoid harsher penalties while trying to retain as much control over the iPhone ecosystem as possible.
Real Casting Choice for iPhone Users
For users, the most tangible benefit is genuine choice. Instead of being locked into AirPlay-compatible TVs and speakers, iPhone owners will be able to pick Google Cast or another supported protocol as their default casting method. That means an iPhone could send a Netflix stream to a Google Cast–enabled TV, or beam music to a Cast speaker, without any special workarounds. This shift should make cheaper streaming sticks and Android TV boxes far more attractive, since they will interoperate cleanly with iOS devices. It may also reduce the incentive for TV makers to license AirPlay, especially when they already ship with Google Cast built in. While Apple has not confirmed whether these options will remain limited to Europe or expand more widely, the precedent is clear: pressure on Apple is slowly prying open the iPhone’s walled garden.
A Broader Unraveling of Apple’s Walled Garden
Support for AirPlay alternatives is part of a broader reconfiguration of Apple’s control over iOS. The company has already been pushed to accept third-party app storefronts, loosen anti-steering rules, and allow categories like emulators, all under regulatory scrutiny. Each new concession chips away at Apple’s ability to dictate every layer of the iPhone experience, from software distribution to casting standards. At the same time, Apple often pursues what critics call “malicious compliance,” implementing the minimum required changes and sometimes restricting them to regions covered by specific laws. Whether iOS 27’s new casting options remain geographically limited or eventually go global, they signal where the platform is heading. As more regulators adopt DMA-style rules, it becomes harder for Apple to maintain different levels of openness, and easier for users to demand the same freedoms everywhere.