Google Chromecast to Google TV Streamer
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.
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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.
Google TV Streamer offers an improved processor, double the memory and 32GB of storage for faster app load times and smoother navigation than previous generation Chromecast. And with 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, every detail, sound and image feels like a cinematic experience.
You can connect your Google TV Streamer to a Wi-Fi network, or use an ethernet port for faster, buffer-free streaming with snappier navigation and app loading or switching. We designed Google TV Streamer to sit in front of your TV, rather than tucked behind it, to improve connectivity across your smart home devices.
While the Google TV Streamer is a major upgrade to the Chromecast — and may finally even rival the pricier Apple TV 4K — it’s a shame Google is getting rid of its dongle. With a price of just $29.99, the Chromecast with Google TV offers entry-level access to an all-in-one streaming hub.
lmao what an amazing end to my weeklong vacation.
Previously:
Update (2024-08-08): Rosyna Keller:
The new Google Streamer is advertised as having a 22% faster CPU than the previous generation Chromecast. That Chromecast had a ARM Cortex-A55, a CPU from 2017.
22% faster than a 7 year old CPU isn’t that much of an increase…
That’s one thing I absolutely love about the Apple TV. It’s extremely responsive. Every single other embedded TV device is so noticeably slow, as if UX responsiveness played second fiddle to the minimum ability to decode video.
Update (2024-08-13): Hartley Charlton:
While both devices support 4K resolution and advanced HDR formats, they differ in their storage options, connectivity features, and additional functionalities. The Google TV Streamer emphasizes an AI-powered user experience with personalized content recommendations and generative AI screensavers, whereas the Apple TV 4K offers ecosystem advantages like Apple Arcade and Fitness+ for a more integrated Apple experience. All of the key differences between the two devices are listed below[…]
This battle no longer matters. These boxes don’t matter. They’re all fine. They’re all roughly the same. There are different price points and different specs. It doesn’t matter. What matters is the unification of the content they’re meant to serve up. That’s it. That’s the game now. Build that and the users will follow.
Said another way: we don’t need the iPod of this space. We need the iTunes.
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The only hope here may be that such a content aggregator amasses enough power to actually drive subscriptions (and reduce churn) thanks to solving discovery (and, importantly, recommendations). But it’s sort of a chicken-and-egg problem at the moment. No service can do this until the content providers buy in. And no one is going to buy in until a service proves itself.
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During my annual summer battle against my parents ancient Apple TV I was wondering when Google would start running the Chromecast.
Took them a week.
Okay, even Google got their own headlines wrong. The Chromecast isn't "dead", they are just rebranding the same product line. The Chromecast added a Google TV interface years ago, this is a continuation of that device. The chief selling point is no longer casting, hence the name change, but Android TV/Google TV devices should still work as casting targets. Sometimes I wonder what the media's purpose is when all they are doing is regurgitating press releases for large companies.
Why can't Google just say, "Hey same basic device, just faster and comes with a new platform name." Again, these devices don't seem much different to the Chromecast with Google TV that's been on the market for years.
@Kristoffer
I think this product is better for most people. If I had my druthers I'd sell a cheaper streaming only device and a full feature streaming set top device, but Chromecast was no longer the former anyway, so no real loss for current customers from the last four years of Chromecasts.
@Nathan Yeah, it is really confusing. They make it look like it’s a totally different product that sits in front of the TV and has no wires in the photo, but there’s still an HDMI cable (not included)…
@Michael Tsai
For sure. It's literally just a set top box with Google TV built in. The last Chromecast was a set top box with Google TV built in. Form factor is a little different, but I mean, come on Google it's not that complex here.
To be honest, I kind of like Google TV/Android TV. At least the TCL TV my mom has there is an option of "dumb TV" mode if you prefer to bring your own set top box and don't want to hassle with the built in smart TV stuff at all. And there is a simple mode for the Smart TV interface that turns off most suggestions and most ads on the home screen and just presents rows of icons!!! The apps are generally okay too, but I'm pretty sure any given Google TV box probably uses a bit more power than an equivalent Roku.
I am still with Roku currently, but I recently starting using a host file on my router to block all Roku homescreen ads. Plus other blocking for other devices too, but Rokus and Fire tablets are the only ones I had to use special firewall rules to ignore their own hard coded Google DNS (I don't mind Google DNS, but I need my router to be the DNS source for this method of blocking to work). I am strongly considering adding some Google TV devices to test.
