Update, Jan 24 (4:45 p.m. ET): New information emerges of low-end Google TV dongle
What you need to know
- A new Chromecast with Google TV device is reportedly in the works.
- No information has been provided, although we suspect it could include support for the AV1 video format.
- Google may release the new dongle later in 2022.
The Chromecast with Google TV debuted only a year and a half ago, but a successor is reportedly in the pipeline already. The search giant is rumored to be preparing to introduce an upgraded Chromecast with Google TV later this year.
Internal documentation and code analysis confirm the existence of the device, codenamed "Boreal," according to 9to5Google. The streaming dongle could potentially be an upgrade over the existing Chromecast with Google TV, though its specifications are unknown.
That said, a new processing power and AV1 video format support may be in the cards. The latter, in particular, is being reportedly required by Google to be present in newer Android TV models, per XDA Developers. However, Google's current streaming device does not support the AV1 format.
For starters, AV1 codec should minimize bandwidth requirements when streaming videos without significantly compromising quality. More importantly, it's a royalty-free format, unlike previous standards that were costly to license, such as AVC
It remains unclear, though, whether the rumored dongle is a successor to one of the best streaming devices or simply a higher-end model. But seeing as the device has a new internal codename, we could be looking at a replacement. We can only hope that Google will also address the current Chromecast's major flaw in the upcoming dongle.
Update, Jan 24 (4:45 p.m. ET) ― "Boreal" could be a low-end Chromecast with Google TV dongle
New information has emerged about the rumored Chromecast with Google TV device. As reported by Protocol on Monday, the new device could be dubbed "Chromecast HD with Google TV."
As the name suggests, we're likely looking at a lower-end version of Google's current dongle, one that only supports 1080p/60fps and not 4K.
Protocol says the device will be powered by an Amlogic S805X2 CPU with a Mali-G31 GPU, allowing support for the AV1 video codec — something the current model doesn't support.
By launching an HD model, Google appears to be targeting other smart TV platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire TV, both of which sell a range of models in the high and low-end. This could make the Google TV platform much more accessible, as it will likely come with a sub $50 price tag.
It's not clear when such a device is expected to launch.
Chromecast with Google TV
Google's latest streaming device has everything you could want, including 4K HDR support, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, and a remote for the first time. When you combine all of that with the excellent Google TV interface and a low price, the Chromecast with Google TV becomes one of Google's best new products in a long time.
