With iOS 27, Apple will at last allow users to explore casting alternatives in addition to AirPlay.

      Apple is reportedly getting ready to implement one of the more unexpected changes to iOS in years: the addition of support for third-party wireless casting systems as alternatives to AirPlay. A report from Bloomberg by Mark Gurman states that iOS 27 will enable users in the European Union to select services like Google Cast as their default option for streaming videos, photos, and audio from iPhones and iPads to TVs, speakers, and other connected devices.

      This change is said to be part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a comprehensive regulation aimed at curbing the influence large tech companies have over their platforms and ecosystems.

      For many years, AirPlay has been ingrained in Apple devices, serving as the standard method for wirelessly transmitting media across compatible hardware. With the upcoming changes, users in the EU may finally have the option to switch to competing technologies rather than being solely dependent on Apple's ecosystem.

      Apple’s confrontation with the EU is escalating

      The reported modifications to AirPlay come at a critical time between Apple and European regulators. The company has already been compelled to permit third-party app stores, alternative payment systems, and software sideloading in the EU due to DMA regulations.

      Currently, Apple is accusing the European Commission of intentionally stalling approval of its proposed compliance changes while ongoing investigations into the company's App Store practices continue. The tension heightened after Setapp, a third-party app marketplace created by MacPaw, announced plans to close its EU iOS marketplace next month, citing “complex business terms” as one reason the model was no longer financially viable.

      Jen Karner / Digital Trends

      Apple has strongly rejected claims that its policies led to the shutdown. In a public statement, the company accused the European Commission of employing “political delay tactics” and stated that regulators had not responded to the proposed changes Apple submitted months earlier.

      Central to the controversy are the fees Apple imposes on third-party app marketplaces working on iOS. At present, alternative app stores must pay Apple €0.50 for each install after surpassing one million downloads. Apple had earlier suggested replacing this structure with a 5% revenue-sharing model, which some developers found to be more feasible.

      Why this is significant for consumers

      For consumers, the most immediate effect may be increased flexibility. If iOS 27 permits the use of default casting alternatives, users could potentially stream media more easily across non-Apple devices without being confined to AirPlay compatibility.

      On a broader scale, the EU’s initiative is gradually transforming Apple’s traditionally closed ecosystem. Features that once seemed unlikely to appear on iPhones—such as third-party app stores, sideloading, and now potentially alternative casting systems—are slowly becoming a reality in Europe.

      Shikhar Mehrotra / Digital Trends

      Nevertheless, Apple continues to argue that many of these changes introduce unnecessary complications and security threats for users while unfairly singling out the company compared to its competitors.

      Regardless, the overall trend appears increasingly evident: regulators seek to empower users, developers, and hardware manufacturers with greater control over how Apple devices connect, distribute apps, and share content. And with iOS 27, this transformation may become much more apparent to everyday users.