Google just killed one of its most popular products
The tech giant has once again axed a beloved device, replacing it with a more expensive alternative
Google is famous for its dominant search engine but the firm is also well-known for killing off its less successful products, apps and services with brutal efficiency. It’s a tactic that frustrates many people as Google tends to suddenly drop support for online tools or abruptly end support for devices that people still own and use.
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This week the latest Google product to get the chop is the beloved Google Chromecast, the line of streaming devices that competed with the Amazon Fire TV Stick by allowing you to stream video from your phone, tablet or laptop to your TV.
“After 11 years and over 100 million devices sold, we're ending production of Chromecast, which will now only be available while supplies last,” Google said in a blog post.
“The time has now come to evolve the smart TV streaming device category — primed for the new area of AI, entertainment and smart homes. With this, there are no changes to our support policy for existing Chromecast devices, with continued software and security updates to the latest devices.”
Google announced a replacement device called the Google TV Streamer but it’s currently only available in the US for $99.99, and there’s no word yet on a UK release. The TV Streamer acts more like a Fire TV Stick or Apple TV than Chromecasts did, with access to popular apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and all your other subscription services.
The device also gets direct access to feeds from your Nest Doorbell or thermostat so you can use the included remote and control or view information for all your Google Home devices from your telly.
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“Since then, technology has evolved dramatically. Streaming and smart TVs abound. We invested heavily in embedding Google Cast technology into millions of TV devices, including Android TV,” Google said.
“Thousands of apps support casting, making it easier than ever to watch your content from your phone and tablet on the big screen. So we are taking the next step in evolving how streaming TV devices can add even more capabilities to your smart TV, built on top of the same Chromecast technology.”
There's no word on how long your Chromecast will continue to work for, but we don't think Google will block them from working any time soon.
The death of the Chromecast is notable as it marks the end of a simpler time in tech and streaming, when tech firms weren’t trying to get you to sign up to new services or get you tied into their ecosystems. Chromecasts effectively solved the issue of streaming from a small screen device to a big one.
Most Chromecasts are HDMI dongles that plug into your telly, with a USB cable attached to a wall plug to give power. The first Chromecast launched in 2013 and was popular because you could simply use the Netflix app on your phone and wirelessly ‘cast’ whatever was playing full screen to your TV.
Chromecasts became popular during the rise of streaming apps and the move away from linear television scheduling and physical media such as DVDs. It meant that you could pick up a Chromecast for around £30 and not have to upgrade to a smart TV with streaming apps and instead use the phone you already had to settle in for the evening with a film or box set.
The latest version of Chromecast was called Chromecast with Google TV and was launched in 2020, with a 4K compatible model coming in 2022. They cost £34.99 and £59.99 respectively.
