There's never been a better time to buy a Chromecast or Fire TV stick

(Image credit: Amazon / Google)

published 10 July 2019

Amazon and Google are finally playing nicely together after years of stalemate. The US companies have made good on a promise to bring their streaming video services to hardware developed by the rival firm, which means that Google's Chromecast and Amazon's Fire TV devices just got a sweet update.

Now Prime Video subscribers will be able to wirelessly beam their favourite show or movie to a Chromecast to watch on the big screen, and an official YouTube app will appear on Amazon's Fire TV-branded set-top boxes and HDMI dongles.

Additionally, if you own an Android TV device with access to the Google Play Store, you'll be able to download the Prime Video app to watch exclusive shows like The Grand Tour, Jack Ryan, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Good Omens, and Bosch to name a few. Prime Video is a part of the Prime membership scheme, which is essential to take part in the Prime Day sales... luckily, there is a free trial.

Likewise, Fire TV owners will now be able to download a dedicated YouTube app to enjoy everything the hugely-popular platform is known for, including YouTube Originals, video essays, viral hits, music videos, tutorials, movies trailers and more.

The company has also promised to create a Fire TV-specific version of its YouTube Kids application before the end of the year.

The iOS and Android app updates are rolling-out worldwide at the moment, although it could take a little while to reach you. As for the Amazon-built streaming products, YouTube will be available on the Fire TV Stick (second generation only), Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick Basic Edition, as well as Toshiba, Insignia, Element, and Westinghouse-branded Fire TV Edition Smart TVs in the United States.

The latest move ends a stand-off that started back in 2015 when Amazon refused to sell Chromecast streaming dongles in its online store as it was in direct competition with its own Fire TV-branded devices. The bitter dispute escalated in 2017 when Google pulled its YouTube app from Amazon Echo Show – the first Alexa-powered device launched by the company with a touchscreen and an emphasis on video.

So if you already own a Chromecast or Amazon Fire device, look out for those updates arriving with you soon. And if you want to buy one, the current best prices are below. With Amazon Prime Day just around the corner – it starts on Monday July 15 – prices are already getting slashed ahead of the sale and may even fall further during the Prime Day period.

TOPICS

As a former Staff Writer for T3, Aaron writes about almost anything shiny and techie. When he’s not barking orders at Alexa-powered microwaves or gawping at 5G speed tests, Aaron covers everything from smartphones, tablets and laptops, to speakers, TVs and smart home gadgets. Prior to joining T3, Aaron worked at the Daily Express and and MailOnline.