(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
UPDATE 8/6: Google unveils the $99 TV Streamer, which swaps the hanging dongle for a set-top box, adds Gemini AI, and drops the Chromecast name. Preorder now ahead of a Sept 24 ship date.
Original Story:
Google's next Chromecast device might ditch the dongle for a set-top box.
The last major hardware update for Google's Chromecast was in 2020, when it finally added a menu system and remote control; an HD version launched two years later. In April, 9to5Google reported that an updated 4K Chromecast with a new remote was in the works, and it now says the next-gen device will be a set-top box known as the Google TV Streamer. (RIP Chromecast branding?)
As per the report, the next Chromecast device will have a "set-top/table-top design with a slanted, pill-shaped surface" and two ports on the back, likely for power and HDMI.
A leaked image of the Google TV Streamer's remote reveals a similar shape, though there are some button changes. The volume rocker is on the front versus the side, while the voice button drops the Google Assistant branding for a generic microphone icon. Quick-access buttons for Netflix and YouTube are there, as is a customizable "Magic" button.
Google is hosting a "Made by Google" event on Aug. 13, at which the company will officially unveil its Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold following last week's teasers. It's possible the new non-Chromecast could also be on the agenda, though Google has not confirmed that.