Today, Google announced a new Chromecast that will support streaming in high definition (HD) and come with remote control. As the product’s official name suggests, the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is being released in 19 countries, including the United States, and the Google TV is available in over 19 African countries.
This news comes just two years after Google introduced a Chromecast streaming media player that supported 4K HDR streaming and included remote control. Streaming in 1080p resolution is supported by the new Chromecast.
The Chromecast’s perks
On the Google TV platform, the new Chromecast works with more than 10,000 apps. Some of these apps include Netflix, HBO Go, Disney+, and Prime Video. Over the past few years, Google has also made significant improvements to how it works with live TV.
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The remote is very similar to the one included with the Chromecast 2020. It is shaped like the bottom half of a hot dog bun and has a navigation circle on the top that contains buttons for Back, Home, Mute, Power, TV Input, and Google Assistant. The volume controls are located on the side of the device. Additionally, a button on the remote can be used to launch both Netflix and YouTube. Users have the ability to reassign the YouTube button to open YouTube TV, YouTube Music, or YouTube Kids by pressing and holding the button.
The Google Assistant app on the remote lets you search for TV shows, movies, and videos and control your smart home devices with your voice. This allows you to control your thermostat, turn your lights on and off, and even stream your Nest security camera feed directly to your television.
The new Chromecast comes with all of the perks that are available on Google TV, such as user profiles, a watchlist that can be synchronised across multiple devices, a tab that recommends content based on your preferences called “For You,” and a library tab that displays your Google Play purchases and rentals. Back in May, the company updated the Google TV app so that it could stream and said that more than 110 million devices were now part of the Android TV ecosystem.
Because it is a Chromecast, users will be able to organise their Nest speakers into groups and play music in various rooms directly from their TV or phone.
Comparing the previous to the new Chromecast
Although Google is making a big deal because the new Chromecast costs less than the original model released in 2012, the company is finally releasing an updated version of the cheaper model after four years. During that time, both Amazon and Roku introduced HD streaming sticks, which means that the search giant was late to the party.
The “Snow” colour option for the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is available today. People in the US who buy this new device will get a free six-month subscription to Peacock Premium, which gives them access to original shows, WWE, and live sporting events. During its quarterly earnings call, Peacock reported in July that the number of paid subscribers had remained at 13 million. Therefore, this may be one of the strategies that will be used to increase that number.