We've already seen plenty of user-facing features come out of Google I/O, but Google has new tool toys for developers too.
The company announced on Thursday that it is introducing a slew of developer updates to strengthen its streaming offerings.
Google is releasing a new set of APIs aimed at simplifying the development process for its streaming services. It will be easier for developers to autoplay and queue videos in Chromecast, make multiplayer games and enable devices to cast as a second screen.
So what does this all mean? To start, Chromecast streaming is about to get faster. Developers will be able to create content queues and pre-load upcoming videos. It will also allow users to reorder the queues to their preference. Google said the new features will boost watch times by up to 20 percent.
Google Cast is a technology that enables devices to push content to a television or speakers. That's not to be confused with Chromecast, the streaming stick, or Android TV, the robust Apple TV-like streaming software.
Another new API will make it easier for developers to create second-screen apps for Android and iOS devices. For example, Ubisoft's game Driver Speedboat Paradise lets you use an Android phone as a controller while you view the game on the TV.
That functionality isn't limited to games. Pixlr's photo editing app allows users to cast the image to your television, allowing you to make edits on your device and see the result on a bigger screen.
An additional API called Google Cast Game Manager will allow developers to streamline the experience of creating multi-player games, a feature that first rolled out in November.
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