David Imel / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Clear some space on your TV stand, because Google’s next Chromecast is going full set-top box.
- The “Google TV Streamer” would introduce a new, sloped look and enhanced remote.
- Pricing for this 4K streaming box remains an open question.
What’s your preferred way of accessing streaming services on your home’s biggest screens? Do you just stick with whatever support’s built into your smart TV? Have a favorite set-top box or dongle you like to plug in instead? Or are you still casting from your phone? One of our favorite options for adding streaming support to an older display has been Google’s Chromecast with Google TV, and while that hardware hasn’t been updated in years, back in April we heard that a new generation could be on the way soon. Today we get our first good look at how that might shape up, and it is definitely a departure from our expectations.
Instead of another dongle that hangs behind your TV from an HDMI port, 9to5Google hears from its sources that this device will be more of a traditional set-top box, called the “Google TV Streamer.”
That shallow, sloped design is nothing like we’re familiar with from past Chromecast products, and looks more like a wireless charging dock to our eyes than anything. 9to5Google speculates that it’s possible this could use the same proximity casting system we heard is on the way for the Pixel Tablet, but there doesn’t seem to be any specific evidence just yet.
What we can clearly see is an overhauled remote. The button layout matches what was featured in the last leak, moving the volume rocker to the front face. But now we can check out actual button labeling, which drops Assistant iconography for a simple microphone. And we should even get a customizable magic button — though maybe not the two magic buttons we were hoping for.
As we’d only expect, the box will support 4K output, but beyond that this leak is quite light on technical detail. We similarly have lots of questions about where this will fit into Google’s ecosystem. So far, the company has endeavored to offer at least one budget streaming solution — which is why we still have the HD Chromecast with Google TV, even with the 4K model available. Will this Google TV Streamer mark an end to that dichotomy? Could it be priced low enough that it’s not going to matter? That’s easily our biggest question, and one we’re eager to see answered.