Netflix has made a controversial move by removing the casting feature from smartphones to TVs, leaving many users confused and questioning the decision. But here's where it gets interesting: a streaming representative at CES 2026 revealed a potential reason behind this change. According to them, only 10% of Android users on the service were utilizing the casting feature. This revelation raises an important question: is it really worth keeping a feature that only a small percentage of users are taking advantage of?
The representative also mentioned that only users on ad-free plans and with older Chromecast devices (without remotes) are eligible to use casting from smartphones to TVs. This further narrows down the user base for this feature. It's worth noting that for TVs with built-in or downloadable Netflix apps, the casting feature is no longer available, including Android TVs, Google TVs, and later Chromecast devices.
Despite this, Google is still committed to the casting technology and its place in the industry. Recently, Apple added Google Cast support for the Apple TV app on Android, indicating that the feature is not entirely dead. However, Netflix's decision to remove casting from smartphones to TVs has sparked debate and left many users wondering if it's a step in the right direction for the streaming platform.
