Chromecast Gains VEVO, Songza And Other New Apps

Google's GOOG low-cost streaming video device has received support for 10 additional apps.

VEVO, the ad-supported music video service, is one of the latest apps to come to Chromecast. Virtually every mainstream artist has published videos on VEVO, though its song selection is not as impressive as services like Pandora and Spotify, which do not offer videos.

Google has yet to strike a major deal with ESPN or another major provider of sports content, but Chromecast users will now be able to view sports videos provided by Red Bull.TV.

Songza, a curated music service that delivers playlists based on simple user preferences, has come to Chromecast as well.

PostTV, Viki, Revision 3, BeyondPod, Plex, Avia and RealPlayer Cloud have also been added to Chromecast's lineup of apps.

According to PCMag, users may have to perform a "quick reset" before the new apps can be used.

Related: REVIEW: Nexus 7 (2013 Edition) And Chromecast

Up until last month, the Chromecast app lineup was limited to the primary streaming video and music services: YouTube, Netflix, Pandora and Hulu Plus.
In November, Google announced that HBO Go had come to the Chromecast family. HBO Go has remained one of the more illusive apps available for TV streaming, limiting access to Xbox 360, Roku, Apple TV and select Samsung televisions. The app has yet to arrive on PlayStation 3, the most popular TV-connected device for Netflix. Thus far, there has been no indication that HBO Go will arrive on PlayStation 4 either.

As it stands, the $35 Chromecast already poses a major risk to more expensive devices, such as Roku and Apple TV. Black Friday deals aside, Apple TV has maintained its $99 price point. There are several version of Roku, but all of them cost more than Chromecast.

If Chromecast continues to bolster its app lineup, its price advantage could help turn the tide in Google's favor.

The downside to Chromecast is that it requires a smart device. This may not matter to the average Nexus 7 user, but it could be a turnoff to those who don't want to drain their tablet or smartphone's battery just to watch a video.

Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.

Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ