Google has officially killed Chromecast, one of the smallest and simplest streaming hubs. The search giant will now offer a premium variant called Google TV Streamer as it intends to rise above the competition.
Here’s why Google killed Chromecast despite selling over 100 million devices
Google recently announced that it will stop offering Chromecast. The miniature dongle could be plugged straight into an empty HDMI slot behind any modern TV. It offered reliable connection between a laptop, tablet, PC, or smartphone, with the TV to allow glitch-free streaming.
Google launched the Chromecast dongle more than a decade ago and confirmed it has officially sold more than 100 million devices. However, moving forward, the dongle will start disappearing from retail shelves. Google has confirmed Chromecast dongle will be available only till stocks last.
Google just announced the Google TV Streamer, a set-top box that replaces Chromecast, ditching the compact dongle form factor that plugs into your TV and remains out of sight.
It keeps the “Google TV” branding, but drops “Chromecast” in a surprising turn for the legacy moniker. pic.twitter.com/ETjUhQDOQi
— TV mounting Nairobi 0713332260 (@proTvMounting) August 6, 2024
Replacing the Chromecast dongle is the new Google TV Streamer, which is a Set-Top Box, and not a miniature dongle. Google claimed it was killing Chromecast because the technology now exists within most modern smart TVs.
However, the primary reason behind ending Chromecast was to rise above the market. Shalini Govil-Pai, the VP and GM of Google TV indicated the company doesn’t want to compete with cheap Android TV boxes, which cost about $50. Specifically speaking, Walmart’s Onn TV Box is now one of the most popular options for an affordable Android TV Box.
Google TV Streamer to compete with NVIDIA Shield TV?
Govil-Pai said, “The Google TV Streamer was our response to a lot of our users saying ‘Hey, Chromecast is great and inexpensive. But we can get inexpensive devices from a lot of players now. Google decided to focus on a higher-end device The NVIDIA Shield was our gold tier price point as well as gold tier performance, and this is really what it’s going to be with our Google TV Streamer. That’s why we’re very excited about it.”
Needless to say, the NVIDIA Shield is still considered a top-shelf product. It is not only a reliable streaming box but it also supports HD Android gaming. The first iteration of the Google TV Streamer doesn’t compete with the NVIDIA Shield, but the company could be trying to get to that level.
Google:
"After 11 years and over 100 million devices sold, we're ending production of Chromecast."
"Today, we’re introducing Google TV Streamer, a more premium device built for the new era of entertainment and smart home needs." pic.twitter.com/AP94qygq13
— Matt Dagley (@mattdagley) August 6, 2024
Google intends to move from the budget category to the premium category, and the Chromecast was in the way. By killing the cheap device, the only product Google will offer in this category is the Google TV Streamer.
Google has doubled the amount of RAM and embedded a better CPU in the Google TV Streamer. This would not only improve performance but ensure users retain the device longer. The new device supports Google Home and Matter. It has an integrated Thread border router as well.
Buyers would also be able to use Gemini to create generative AI screensavers that are shown when the Google TV Streamer is in ambient mode. Users could also ask it to relive memories using photos from a trip. Needless to say, even the latest iteration of the Google Chromecast dongle lacks such features owing to its limited processing power and RAM.