Google discontinues Chromecast; introduces "TV Streamer"

Google has officially discontinued the production of Chromecast, the popular streaming media adapter that allowed TVs to have online connectivity and access to Play Store apps. In the place of Chromecast, Google has announced a brand new device called 'Google TV Streamer', described as the company's next-generation AI-powered entertainment and smart home hub.

A look into Chromecast

According to an official blog post by Google, since its launch in 2013, over 100 million Chromecast devices have been sold. However, states the blog post, "the time has now come to evolve the smart TV streaming device category", especially for the modern age of AI. Regardless of the discontinuation, Google will not change Chromecast's existing support policy, and will continue to provide software and security updates to the latest Chromecast devices. 

Google says that when Chromecast when launched, most TVs had little to no apps. Back then, streaming was complicated to perform on home TV sets. With Chromecast, TVs that support plug-and-play connectivity could easily access online content despite not being able to access the internet on its own. Since then, Google adds, the company has invested heavily in embedding Google Cast technology into 220 million Android TV devices.

What is 'Google TV Streamer'?

In its official blog post, Google describes the Google TV Streamer as the Chromecast replacement, "bringing its best features to the next-generation 4K TV streaming device, but as a faster, more premium version".

Similar to Chromecast, Google TV Streamer offers access to streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, Youtube TV, etc. and is pre-loaded with over 800 free channels.  It also comes with Google AI, which can provide content recommendations by automatically curating suggestions across all of the user's subscriptions.

Google TV Streamer comes with 32 GB storage, and Google says it has faster app load times and smoother navigation than previous generation Chromecast. It also supports 4K HRD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, as well as other features such as ambient mode,  AI-generated screensavers, and voice control - a feature popular in Chromecast. 

Google TV Streamer is priced at US $99.99. It is currently available for pre-order and will be made publicly available on September 24 from the Google Store and other third-party retailers.