New Chromecast with Google TV 4K Model on the Way to Customers
The new device will feature an updated remote that features voice search capabilities, and could allow for more storage with a memory upgrade.
Streaming devices offer customers using older TVs or smart sets with less powerful hardware to watch their favorite streaming services uninterrupted on the biggest screen in their home. Google has been offering connected streaming devices under the Chromecast brand since 2013, and a new report from 9to5 Google is offering details of the company’s next streaming device, which will offer customers the ability to watch titles in Ultra-High-Definition 4K.
- 9to5 Google cites a source who says a new 4K Google Chromecast model is coming to retailers this year.
- A new Chromecast Voice Remote is expected to ship with the latest device.
- One recent survey showed that usage of connected streaming devices has flattened as smart TVs spread.
The new Google Chromecast dongle will reportedly be an upgraded version of the 4K Chromecast with Google TV model that first launched in 2020. That player features 1.9 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 (Amlogic S905X3), but comes with just 8GB of memory. That can cause the device to run somewhat slowly at times, and it’s likely that Google will incorporate more storage space for its next model to improve its operation.
There’s no timeline for when the new model of Chromecast devices will hit store shelves, but 9to5 Google’s unnamed source says it’s likely to launch at some point this year. There’s also no word on how much the device will cost; the current 4K Google Chromecast retails for $49.99, while the HD model is on sale for $19.99 for a limited time. It’s a good bet that customers will have to pay more for the new Chromecast, but only time will tell how much more.
The report from 9to5 Google also says it’s likely new Chromecast models will ship with an updated voice remote which was first teased last year. This will allow customers to search without having to type in a title’s name one letter at a time, and the remote also features a star button which might be a customizable shortcut for viewers.
Are Audiences Even Using Streaming Dongles Anymore?
Connected streaming players are still in use, but they are increasingly becoming a product of a bygone era. Before smart TVs became inexpensive enough to be adopted by a wide segment of the TV-watching audience, streaming dongles offered a low-cost way for viewers to access services like Netflix and Hulu.
But that was then, and this is now. A recent survey from Hub Research showed that 79% of homes in the United States now own a smart TV and that 62% of viewers report using their smart TV to stream video weekly. By contrast, the number of homes that own a streaming device in 2024 is 56%, the same number as reported owning such devices in 2023.
If streaming dongle usage has peaked, Google’s new Chromecast model could be one of the company’s last. The market may be flooded with new, cheap smart TVs soon if Walmart's purchase of VIZIO leads to new sets from that manufacturer, and the decline of streaming dongle usage could accelerate if smart TV availability increases even further.
Customers who prefer the Google TV interface for streaming their favorite content will want to keep an eye out for a new 4K Google Chromecast model, which should come to retailers sometime in 2024. But streaming apps like Prime Video and Disney+ may see their usage on smart TVs continue to rise at the expense of connected streaming players like Google Chromecast as customers increasingly opt to cut out the dongle middle-man.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.