So far for live TV you needed an app to watch a service on your PC—both Sling and PlayStation Vue do not offer an option to watch through a web browser. That may not seem like a major drawback, but it has kept users of Chromebooks and Linux computers from accessing Sling TV and PlayStation Vue.
Now DirecTV has announced that their new DirecTV Now service will work just by login into DirecTVNow.com. Making them the first OTT streaming service to offer in browser streaming.
They also announced that they will support Amazon Fire TV, Google Cast to players such as Nvidia Shield and the Mi Box, Apple TV 4th Generation+, Android 4.4+, iPad iOS9+, iPhone 5+, iPod Touch, Internet Explorer 11+, Chrome 50+, and Safari 8+.
They list that the Chromecast and the Fire TV Stick are both coming soon.
You may be shocked to see that Roku is not listed. Our best guess is they are waiting for the new Roku OS to be released later this year. Developers already have access to the beta of the new Roku OS, and it makes sense for them to develop an app for the new, more powerful Roku OS. No need to build an app today and pay developers to do it again in a month or two.
As for why the Fire TV is supported but not the Fire TV Stick, it likely has to do with the power of the Stick. They may be making a more stripped down app for the Stick, a slower device.
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