Amazon to Once Again Sell Chromecast, Apple TV

In the market for a new Google Chromecast or Apple TV media streamer for yourself or someone else this holiday season? Soon you'll be able to buy one on Amazon.

More than two years after pulling both devices from its digital store shelves, Amazon is adding them back, as was first reported by CNET.

"I can confirm that we are assorting Apple TV and Chromecast," an Amazon spokesperson confirmed in an email to PCMag. In case you're not familiar with retail jargon, assorting basically means to carry for sale.

Amazon dropped both devices in October 2015 because neither of them ran the company's video service.

"Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC at the time. "It's important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, and Fire TV are excellent choices."

Amazon's about-face comes just a week after Amazon Prime Video arrived on Apple TV. Owners of Apple's media player can download the Amazon Prime Video tvOS app on their device to start streaming shows like Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle.

At this point, however, Amazon's Prime Video apps for Android and iOS do not support Chromecast, to the dismay of many users. "No Chromecast support," one person wrote in their Google Play review. "I wish Amazon an [sic] Google would just get along."

Perhaps selling the Chromecast once again is Amazon's way of extending an olive branch to improve its relationship with Google. Earlier this month, Google pulled YouTube from Amazon's Echo Show and Fire TV devices over the online retailer's refusal to carry certain products from the search company. Whether it's an indication that Chromecast support is on the way for the Prime Video apps remains to be seen.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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