Google Working on Affordable Chromecast With Google TV With Remote Control, Native App Support: Report

Google is reportedly working on a new Chromecast with Google TV that could replace the company’s older third-generation Chromecast that was released in 2018. The upcoming Chromecast is said to feature a maximum resolution of 1080p, could feature the company’s Google TV interface and come with a remote. The upcoming Chromecast with Google TV is also said to come with AV1 hardware decoding support and could be priced lower than the regular Chromecast with Google TV which comes with 4K video support.

According to a report by Protocol, Google is working on a new Chromecast model with 1080p resolution support. Like other Chromecast with Google TV models released by the company, users will be able to run native apps on the Chromecast to cast to their TV. The device is also said to come with support for a feature not found on the company’s existing Chromecast with Google TV that supports 4K video — native AVI hardware decoding. The device could eventually be called “Chromecast HD with Google TV” according to the report.

Google’s upcoming Chromecast with Google TV is codenamed Boreal and will feature an Amlogic S805X2 CPU and a Mali-G31 GPU, paired with 2GB of RAM. The hardware on the device will allow Google to offer AVI native decoding, as well as a 60fps framerate, according to the report. It is worth noting that the company’s 1080p resolution Chromecast 3 that was launched in 2018 does not offer support for native apps or remote controls.

The upcoming Chromecast with Google TV is tipped to launch at a lower price tag than the 4K-enabled Chromecast with Google TV, which is priced at $50 (roughly Rs. 3,700). According to the report, the streaming device will compete with devices from Roku and Amazon that offer similar pricing. However, Google is yet to announce any details regarding the upcoming Chromecast with Google TV. The upcoming Chromecast could be unveiled at Google I/O in May or at the company’s hardware event in October. The upcoming Chromecast device could be launched in North America but could also be released in other countries like India at a later stage, according to the report.