Google Releases Chromecast Developer Tools

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Google has released the Chromecast's software development kit, which means more streaming channels are on the way.

Google's Chromecast can be a handy little media-streaming gadget, but its functionality is currently limited to only a handful of channels. That could change soon, as Google has released the Chromecast software development kit (SDK) to the general public. Any company with an Internet channel and some technical know-how can now cast its hat into the streaming-content ring.

MORE: Roku vs. Apple TV vs. Chromecast: Which Device Wins?

Freely distributing developer tools represents an enormous departure from what had been Google's Chromecast strategy up to this point. Until it released the SDK, Google worked closely and personally with a very small number of developers.

Google will still have final say over which programs make their way into the Chromecast's app selection, so don't expect the selection to explode overnight. That said, now that enthusiasts have access to the SDK, expect them to soon figure out how to "root" the Chromecast to make way for unauthorized third-party apps.

At the time of writing, Google had not yet indicated when the Chromecast's next wave of apps would surface. As long as the company puts out a user-friendly SDK, though, expect Chromecast's 14 apps to have lots of company within the next few months.

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Marshall Honorof
Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof was a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.

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