You’ve bought your lastChromecast. 9to5Google haspublished imagesof Google’s next streamer, and it’s a dongle no more. The new ‘Google TV Streamer’ has a set-top box design, meaning that both the dongle design and Chromecast name are being consigned to the history books.
The new device has a sloped, wide pill-shaped design, which is much wider than it is deep, and the published images show a white model. It’s not clear whether other color options will be available as they are with the Chromecast with Google TV.
The new streaming device is likely to be officially announced at the Made by Google event on August 13, where the Google Pixel 9 will be launched officially launched, despite the Pixel 9 Pro havingalready been revealed.
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No more Chromecast dongle
The device marks the first set-top box from Google
Prior incarnations of the Chromecasthave been dongles that plug into an HDMI port and hide away, dangling like a vestigial tail out of the back of your TV. The first generation model was the only version without a flexible cable, being designed as a solid stick.
The new Google TV Streamer marks a major new direction for Google streaming devices, being the first time that the company has produced a set-top box that’s designed to be placed in front of your TV rather than hidden away at the back.
The images also show the new remote, which looks similar to the remote that ships with theChromecast with Google TV, but it’s not exactly the same. Beneath the directional pad at the top, it appears to maintain the same eight buttons from the previous model, which include Home, Mute, Back, YouTube, Netflix, Power, and Input/Source. TheGoogle Assistantbutton has been replaced with a simple microphone icon, but probably fulfills the same function.
The biggest change is that the volume controls have now moved to a rocker on the front of the remote; on the Chromecast with Google TV, they’re found on the right-hand side. This should make the remote easier to use, especially if you’re right-handed, as the side buttons can be a little awkward to reach.
Why is Google making a set-top box?
It may be more than simply taking on the Apple TV
There are a few possible reasons why Google has made this move. The most obvious is that it wants something to compete with other popular set-top boxes such as theApple TV. However, the shape of the new design may hint at another possible reason.
Many devices are able to start streaming audio or video from one device to another simply by bringing the devices close together. For example, if you’re playing music on your iPhone, you can hand it off to a HomePod just byholding your iPhone near your HomePod. Google has a similar feature withPixel phonesand tablets that allows you to cast music from your phone to your tablet or vice versa just by bringing the devices close together.
It may be the case that the long, flat design of the Google TV Streamer is intended to facilitate the ability to stream content to your TV by bringing your phone near to the set-top box. This is pure speculation, however; it may simply be trying to mimic the design of the massive pill-shaped camera bump on the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro.
Chromecast with Google TV
Google’s latest version of the Chromecast offers streaming from all of your favorite services on a small and affordable device that will hide away behind your TV.
