Last month, 9to5Google leaked that Google was working on a second-generation Chromecast Ultra based on Android TV that will not come alone but will have a remote control. The medium pointed out that the form factor would not be very different from the current Chromecast UItra, and now Protocol remote the issue and affirms that, indeed, this device will be presented in the coming months and that it will have a completely renewed interface.
According to Protocol, which quotes various sources related to the matter, this new product could come under the Nest brand and would come to compete against Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Roku devices. The reason is that the interface would have been completely changed to make more emphasis on movies and series instead of apps, and that it could work independently , that is, without having to send the content from the smartphone.
Chromecast More similar to an Android TV device
As everyone who has a Chromecast will know, to play content on TV it is necessary to open any app and send it to the device. This new dongle will have Android TV, ergo access to the Google Play Store, and the apps that are available there. In this way, users can download Netflix or Disney + apps in the memory of the dongle and play content from it. In other words, you can continue sending content from your mobile, but it will no longer be necessary.
Protocol claims that this dongle will be compatible with Google Assistant, so it can be controlled by voice, it will have remote control and it is expected that it will also offer support for Google Stadia, which currently only works on Chromecast Ultra. As we mentioned before, the dongle would come under the Nest brand, so it would be included in Google’s range of household products.
On the other hand, this device will have a new interface designed to highlight movies and series on the main screen. Two anonymous sources explain to Protocol that it would be more similar to the one we already found on Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks. From the media, they say that Google is in talks with the mainstream platforms so that they support an API that will allow them to display their content on the interface itself.
And is that currently Android TV shows a row called “Play Next” that highlights the next episodes of content that the user is watching. However, platforms like Netflix or Disney + do not use Play Next, so Google and these would have to collaborate to activate the function .
The launch of this product could be a blow to manufacturers of Android TV devices (such as smart TVs). To “appease manufacturers,” the new version of Android TV to be released with this dongle will have lower hardware requirements , something that would help companies cut costs.
Finally, it should be noted that Google would be planning to change the name from Android TV to Google TV, as announced from 9to5Google. It is something that the company has done on other occasions, such as when Android Pay became Google Pay or Android Market was renamed to the Google Play Store. Everything seen so far is only leaks, so you have to take them with caution.
It is not the first time that this device has been leaked, since last March a Google remote control appeared in the FCC. Protocol states that it does not refer to this dongle, but that it is “another hardware initiative”.
