We’ve been keeping an eye on rumors of a new Chromecast update for a while, and now there’s more to add to the pile:Another new Google TV device identification has reportedly surfaced in the Google Home app’s code, according to Google. While there’s not much information here, it does indicate that Google is at least partially developing new Chromecast hardware.
We covered a similar tale more than a year ago. In January of last year, an unannounced Chromecast device known as YTC in addition to the current devices, which are known as YTV (4K) and YTB (1080p) in the Google Home app’s code. This most recent speculative model is another unique gadget, called YTD. it “can confirm that Google Home treats YTD just like the existing Chromecast models.” A significant distinction, as it seems that Google Home handles Google TV sets from other manufacturers differently.
What may this new Chromecast gadget be?
We are just speculating, but we have our money on a new midranger.
We can infer very nothing about the nature of the product YTD from this data. Although we may assume it’s a Google TV device, we’re not sure why. Only a few years old, the $30 Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is an extra-budget option that works about as well as one might hope for for a low-cost 1080p streaming dongle. Also, as less and fewer 1080p TVs are sold year, sub-4K streaming devices become increasingly unnecessary.
On the other hand, there isn’t much available for Android that can match hardware like the $140 Fire TV Cube or the $130 Apple TV 4K, so Google TV fans—there are hundreds of us, etc.—have been demanding for more powerful choices. The newest variants of Nvidia’s Android TV-powered Shield TV boxes are still lacking the most recent Google TV interface, even though many customers would still find it to be a benefit. Nevertheless, they still have the power.
If you’re searching for an inexpensive Google TV device, Google’s 4K Chromecast with Google TV dongle is one of your better alternatives. However, it has a few bothersome features, the most aggravating of which is its poor storage capacity, which has only become worse with time. If I had to guess, I would say that Google’s next Chromecast gadget would be a direct replacement for that model; it will likely have small enhancements, be priced like an impulsive purchase, and feature 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos. But that’s more wishful thinking than anything at this point.
