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If you are thinking of enjoying a new Google Chromecast this week, please don’t. Google has mailed invitations to a new product showcase, dubbed “Google Launch Night In,” where the Californian company has promised to reveal a “new Chromecast, our latest smart speaker and our new Pixel phones.”
The event is scheduled for September 30, 2020 at 6pm BST (2pm ET / 7pm CEST), so there really isn’t much to wait. Of course, if you’re not interested in owning the latest and greatest kit, don’t let us stop you from adding a Chromecast to your shopping cart, but according to the latest rumors about this improved streaming device … it might be well worth it. the extra wait.
According to rumors, the next-gen Chromecast will use a Bluetooth remote similar to the ones out of the box with devices like the Roku Streaming Stick +, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV 4K. As you’d expect from Google, the remote has a microphone and a dedicated Google Assistant button to control content, volume, and more with your voice.
If the latest rumors are correct, you will also be able to control other Google Assistant-compatible devices, such as any nearby smart lighting or a central heating system, such as Nest, owned by Google. The remote can be used to control your TV, much like a universal remote, sources say.
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Of course, this is a world away from the current generation Chromecast, which can only be controlled by uploading videos within your smartphone or tablet’s streaming apps, before streaming the episode or movie to the big screen with one tap of the Cast button.
If you need to pause your show, you’ll need to yell at a nearby Google Home or pull out your phone.
There’s no question that a dedicated remote will make it a bit easier to perform this everyday function. It also means viewers at home will be able to tune in to Disney + and Netflix shows even if they don’t have a smartphone – perfect for younger family members hoping to see something on TV. That is not something that works with the current Chromecast.
The new Google-designed device will run on the same Android TV software that currently powers various Smart TV models, including those built by Phillips and OnePlus. Since this is not a new operating system, there are already a host of streaming apps, games, and social media services on the Play Store.
That means that developers will not need to create new versions of their services for the new hardware, something very positive for Google given how competitive the market is. When there are already streaming devices from Roku, Amazon, and Apple with the vast majority of streaming services and games available for download, waiting for Google to get the same level of support could have been a real blackout.
According to the leaked images published by XDA Developers, Google will go for a friendly-looking pendant that hangs from the HDMI port on the back of your TV, a bit like the Chromecast. Following the recent move to rebrand its Google Home connected home devices under the new Google Nest brand, it appears that the Chromecast successor will also be branded under the Google Nest name.
What will be the name of that final product is anyone’s guess. At the moment, the device is only identified by its code name: Sabrina. While a leaked listing from a supermarket in the US suggests that the branding could be Chromecast with Google TV, it may be a placeholder.
As for the price, previous rumors suggest that Google will ask for around $ 80 (approximately £ 64). That’s way more expensive than the Fire TV Stick range of brand rivals Amazon and Roku, but more reasonable than anything from Apple. It’s unclear whether the more affordable Chromecast will stick around, with a price cut perhaps, as an alternative for those who don’t want to pay for the remote.
As it stands, there is no rumored release date for Sabrina. We bet Google will want it on the shelves before the holiday shopping rush, though, so hopefully you won’t have to wait too long.
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