We’ll update this story with more details as we dive into Google’s newest streaming product. Whether it’s better than competitors like Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV, or Apple TV is something we’ll know once we try it, but this new Chromecast is getting the best of both worlds - the classic ability to cast to your streamer, or the opportunity to scroll through all of your streaming platforms at once. But Google TV looks to be a game-changer for how useful Android TV is a platform for enjoying all kinds of streamed content. It’s not the first streamer to implement an Android TV OS, of course, with products like the Nvidia Shield and TV manufacturers like Sony, Hisense, Philips, and Sharp adopting the interface natively. Google says that the Google TV app will also be added to select smart TVs in the future. There’s also a Google TV app for Android phones and tablets which lets you move the watching experience from TV to on-the-go effortlessly. Watchlists can now be created, with shows from any streaming service you have access to whether free or subscription-based. There’s a heavy emphasis on content discovery and recommendations, plus it’s been designed to integrate seamlessly with YouTube TV’s live TV streaming service - which makes total sense. Unlike stock Android TVs’ stacked, app-based ribbons of shows, Google TV looks a lot more like Amazon’s Fire TV and Apple’s Apple TV app. The new Chromecast runs the Android TV 10 operating system, but it’s the new Google TV interface that sets the newest Chromecast apart from other Android TV devices and TVs. As soon as we saw leaks that this product would feature a remote, it seemed inevitable that an OS would follow. In conjunction with the inaugural Chromecast remote, the new Chromecast is equipped with the line’s first actual operating system. This could be a problem for Netflix fans as, so far, Netflix has only offered Atmos soundtracks to devices that decode the format themselves. It’s worth noting that despite the device’s support for Dolby Atmos, it doesn’t actually decode the spatial audio format, instead, it does “passthrough” which means it relies on a TV, soundbar, or A/V receiver to let you listen to Atmos content. As a type of proof-of-concept, The Verge was able to sideload the Stadia Android app onto a Chromecast they were able to snag early, allowing the streamer to bring up the cloud gaming platform. Google says Stadia will be coming to the new Chromecast in 2021. However, it surprisingly does not support Stadia, at least not at launch. The streamer supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision as well, which puts it in competition with the highest-end devices from Roku and Amazon. At $50, the new Chromecast effectively lowers the entry fee for being able to watch your content in ultra-high-quality definition, as long as the streaming platform you’re using supports those formats. The Chromecast Ultra supports the formats but costs $20 more than this new-and-improved streamer and doesn’t include a remote or Android TV. The new Chromecast supports 4K and HDR, which isn’t a brand-new feature to Chromecast devices. Now, with the addition of a remote, one with volume controls on the side that can control TV volume via CEC, the new Chromecast will join most other modern streamers in being able to physically scroll through your favorite content directly on that streaming device.Īs an added design detail, Google’s new device has a USB-C power adapter. It also comes in your choice of three colors: Snow, Sky, and Sunrise.Īnd hey, there’s a remote! This is a first for any Chromecast device, since the main concept of Chromecast products leading up to this announcement has revolved around using your own mobile device as your “remote.” Prior to today, if you wanted to play something on a Chromecast, you’d use a streaming app on your mobile device to find the content you wanted to watch (or listen to), then send it directly to a Chromecast. Google’s new product has lost the circular, puck shape that previous Chromecasts have sported, and has now opted for a slightly elongated structure that resembles a flattened egg. Google TV slims down and speeds up with recent software updates Google ends support for the original Chromecast The Roku Channel is now available as a Google TV app
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