New Google Chromecast apps bring total app count to 17

Google is expanding its library of apps for its Chromecast device at a rapid pace. The company introduced 10 new apps for the device in December, bringing the total number of Google Chromecast apps to 17. ReadWrite lists the slew of new apps, which includes music services VEVO and Songza as well as personal media services Plex and RealPlayer Cloud, among others. These new apps join streaming staples such as Netflix, HBO GO, YouTube, and Hulu Plus.

Battle of the apps
This new update brings the total number of Google Chromecast apps closer to those of competitor Apple TV, which has amassed only 27 apps in the six years since its release. Google still has a long way to go if it hopes to catch Roku, another streaming content competitor and the current market leader in terms of apps: Roku lists more than 750 officially supported apps for its Roku 3 streaming device. Google plans to release several large batches of apps in 2014 and hopes to have hundreds available for the platform by the end of the year, including user-made apps, according to GigaOM.
Though the number of apps is certainly an important factor for consumers to consider, it doesn’t take away from the ability to stream high-definition video from all providers as the most vital feature of Apple TV, Roku, and Google Chromecast. Though many users will likely consider the number of apps as a way to choose which streaming device to purchase, all three devices deliver content instantly without lag, which is undoubtedly their most important feature.
Google’s ambitious long-term strategy to add large batches of apps combined with its low price point may help the device gain some traction over competitors in the months ahead, especially as the device rolls out to international markets later this year.
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