Ahead of Supreme Court decision, Aereo launches on Google Chromecast
Michelle Clancy
| 06 June 2014
After a short delay, the controversial over-the-top (OTT) streamer Aereo is now live on the Google Chromecast platform.
Users can download the Aereo app for Android from the Google Play store, and then can access Aereo's antenna and DVR technology to record and watch live broadcast television using Google's dongle.
The company is carrying on business as usual, but the Barry Diller-backed streaming company is awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court in a critical copyright infringement case brought by major broadcasters. Because the company broadcasts local feeds via the Internet without paying retransmission fees, the media companies are claiming piracy and infringement. Aereo has counter-argued that because it provides dime-sized antennae to its subscribers — who pay $8 per month for access to a couple dozen channels — it constitutes an over-the-air service, which is exempt from retrans fees.
So far, it has succeeded in arguing its way to victory in Boston and New York, but it is for now prevented from operating in the west, including Denver and Salt Lake City. The high court's decision will decide its fate nationwide.
Aereo is available to consumers in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, and Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas. Aereo plans to launch in additional cities throughout 2014 unless the Supreme Court case goes against its interests.