Tech
Chromecast is dead: Iconic gadgets replaced with new Google TV Streamer, but UK viewers miss out
The announcement of the all-new Google TV Streamer marks the end of the iconic Chromecast line-up.
These lightweight dongles plug directly into the HDMI port at the back of your television and let you beam video and photos from your smartphone or tablet, or mirror the contents of a tab in the Google Chrome browser on the big screen. First introduced in July 2013, Google went on to sell 100 million Chromecasts worldwide.
The thumb drive-like design of the Chromecast went on to influence a number of rival streaming devices, including the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, as well as the popular Fire TV Stick line-up from Amazon.
But that’s all changed.
Compared to the Chromecast with Google TV 4K released four years ago, the new set-top arrives with a less complicated name, new functionality, and a redesign to a larger box designed to sit beneath your television on a media unit, instead of plugging directly into the HDMI port. That brings the latest effort from Google closer to what we’ve seen from the Apple TV 4K, Roku Express box, or Nvidia Shield.
As well as streaming must-binge boxsets from the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and more, the Google TV Streamer brings together footage from Nest security cameras, video doorbells, and lets you control lighting and thermostats from a new smart home menu
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Announcing the shake-up to its line-up, Google Nest Product Manager, Christina Cao wrote in a blog: “Google TV Streamer is designed to give you the best entertainment and smart home experience possible. It replaces Chromecast, bringing its best features to our next-generation 4K TV streaming device — but as a faster, more premium version.
“Complete with the best of Google TV, Google TV Streamer doubles as a smart home hub for your Google Home and Matter devices. It also has a sleek design that fits right into your home’s decor without standing out.”
Google TV Streamer will ship in two colourways — Porcelain and Hazel, pictured above. A colour-matched remote control is bundled in the box
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The pill-shaped Google TV Streamer has a slanted design that’s reminiscent of the magnetic dock in the box with the Pixel Tablet that transforms Google’s iPad rival into a smart home hub with an 11-inch touchscreen.
Priced at $99, the Google TV Streamer is double the cost of its predecessor, the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, priced at $49.99. That dropped to just $29.99 for the HD-only variant.
What’s behind the increase in price? Well, Google TV Streamer is much more than a simple set-top box that brings Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and dozens of other games and apps to your telly.
Google has incorporated the ability to control smart home devices, like switching on light bulbs or adjusting the thermostat, from a new panel that slides over whatever you’re watching. This makes the Google TV Streamer much closer to the likes of a Nest Hub or Echo Hub smart home control panel.
If you have a Nest video doorbell, you’ll be notified when someone rings in a live preview on-screen. Likewise, footage from any Nest security cameras can be viewed from on the Google TV Streamer too.
Leveraging its Google Gemini AI, summaries for the plotlines of shows, reviews and age ratings will be generated for every TV show, film, or documentary available to watch
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Google has built in a Thread border router into the TV Streamer — a decision that likely forced the Californian company to ditch the smaller HDMI dongle-style design of previous streaming devices — a technology that allows you to quickly and safely connect smart home devices, like locks and motion sensors, directly to the set-top box. That means even if the Google TV Streamer is the only smart home gadget in your house, you’ll be able to start upgrading to Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, light bulbs, blinds, speakers, and more.
Google Gemini, the US firm’s answer to the latest ChatGPT model, which that launched in the UK earlier this year, will be used throughout the Google TV Streamer experience. Google will use its most advanced AI model to summarise reviews and the plotlines of seasons of television.
Like the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, this new set-top box supports 4K Ultra HD resolution with Dolby Atmos. For the first time, Spatial Audio is available on supported content when you pair Pixel Buds Pro.
Inside the box, Google has equipped its new streamer with a speedier processor and twice as much RAM, promising a 22% boost in performance. It has also increased storage to 32GB to store more applications.
While its predecessor was offered in three colours — Sky (a pale blue), Sunrise (coral), and Snow (white) — the all-new Google TV Streamer will only ship in two options, Porcelain (white) and Hazel (a light sage). The latter will be exclusive to the Google Store too, so don’t expect to see it on store shelves.
Although the remote control in the box looks largely similar to the one that shipped with the Chromecast with Google TV, the Californian company has made a few tweaks. First up, the newer model is larger to include room for the Back and Home buttons on the first row and brings the volume rocker to the face of the remote rather than the side.
Next, Google has added a textured back for better grip and a new customisable button to immediately open your favourite app, switch HDMI inputs, or launch the Google Home panel with just one click. You can choose what this button does in the Settings menu on the device.
Google says it made all of these changes “based on user feedback” and the resulting redesign should be “more comfortable to hold with improved ergonomics”.
Google says its redesigned remote control should offer improved ergonomics. There’s also a new button with a star icon that can be customised to launch your favourite streaming service or app, open the new smart home menu, and more
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If you misplace your remote, you can now ask your nearest Google Assistant-enabled speaker or Pixel phone for help by saying, “Hey Google, find my remote,” and a small in-built speaker in the remote control will start beeping to help you find it down the back of the sofa. You can also press a new button at the back of your Google TV Streamer or from the Google Home app to sound the chime too.
While it might ditch the “Chromecast” branding, this new set-top box is sure to still have the ability to “Cast” video, photos, apps, and more from your smartphone, tablet, or Google Chrome web browser to the television.
Google TV Streamer is available for pre-order now in the United States …but there’s no word on when the new streaming set-top box will be available outside of the US. Google will begin to ship its new streaming kit on September 24. As well as the Google Store, US shoppers will be able to buy the Google TV Streamer from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
The reveal of the Google TV Streamer isn’t the only new hardware coming from the US search firm this month. Google has already announced plans to hold a hardware event on August 13, where it’s widely expected to unveil its latest flagship Android smartphone, purportedly named the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.
Some tipsters suggest that a new Pixel Watch smartwatch is planned too.
Google TV Streamer will follow the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, first launched in 2020, that plugged directly into the HDMI port of your television and arrived in three colours
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Confirming that the launch of the Google TV Streamer marked the end of the road for the Chromecast, Vice President of Engineering, Health & Home, Majd Bakar said: “After 11 years and over 100 million devices sold, we’re ending production of Chromecast, which will now only be available while supplies last.
“The time has now come to evolve the smart TV streaming device category — primed for the new area of AI, entertainment and smart homes. With this, there are no changes to our support policy for existing Chromecast devices, with continued software and security updates to the latest devices.
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“When we launched Chromecast, most TVs had few (if any) apps, streaming was unreliable and complicated and connecting your TV to your phone, tablet or laptop was clunky and hard. Chromecast was our answer to this problem, a simple and affordable way to cast your favourite online content right on your TV screen. It was as easy as plugging in the device and hitting play.
“Chromecast’s small dongle form factor made it easy to hide behind a TV, and the affordable price made it accessible to millions and the perfect gift for many. Since then, technology has evolved dramatically. Streaming and smart TVs abound. We invested heavily in embedding Google Cast technology into millions of TV devices, including Android TV.
“Android TV has expanded to 220 million devices worldwide and we are continuing to bring Google Cast to other TV devices, like LG TVs. Thousands of apps support casting, making it easier than ever to watch your content from your phone and tablet on the big screen. So we are taking the next step in evolving how streaming TV devices can add even more capabilities to your smart TV, built on top of the same Chromecast technology.”
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