Report: Cheaper Chromecast Model Coming This Fall; Will Top Out at 1080p
If you’ve been on the fence about whether or not to buy Google’s streaming dongle Chromecast, you may have an incentive to wait a little longer. According to Winfuture, as reported by Android Authority, Google is preparing to release a new model of Chromecast with Google TV for around 40% less than the current model.
The catch for this newer, cheaper Chromecast will be a lower streaming resolution. The current Chromecast model has the capability to stream shows offered in 4K resolution, which offers four times the pixels that full HD (1080p) allows. The new Chromecast model will reportedly max out at 1080p, so while customers will still get HD streaming, they won’t be able to access the crystal clear 4K streams offered by the current model.
The tradeoff for lower resolution is a significantly lower price point. The Chromecast dongle currently retails for around $69, whereas the new model will be closer to $39. The new Chromecast has already begun arriving at some retailers, suggesting that it will likely be available to the public in early October.
Streaming services have been a bit slow in offering 4K content, so it’s no surprise that Google is trying to offer a lower-cost alternative to its product that charges a premium for a feature that many customers don’t yet have full access to. Netflix, for example, doesn’t offer 4K streaming unless customers sign up for the Premium Plan, which is its highest-priced subscription tier at $19.99 per month.
Other services are just getting into the game when it comes to 4K streaming. NBCUniversal launched 4K streaming on its streamer Peacock in August, but currently the feature is only available for a handful of titles. Its biggest offerings like “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and “Downton Abbey” are not included in Peacock’s 4K offerings, and there’s no word on when more shows will be made available in the higher resolution.
More and more shows and movies are being filmed with the expectation that they will be someday released in 4K, so the amount of ultra high-definition content available will eventually increase. But until that happens, expect other tech companies to keep a close eye on Chromecast’s cheaper model and attempt to emulate its success if it does well.