Time to switch to Fire TV Stick? Google confirms it's no longer making new Chromecast devices

Buying a Chromecast for just £30 and plugging it into the back of a television solved both of these problems — and made these affordable streaming gadgets an overnight success for Google.

The thumb drive-like design of the Chromecast went on to influence a number of rival streaming devices, including the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, as well as the popular Fire TV Stick line-up from Amazon.

The earliest iterations of the Chromecast didn't include remote control, with the team at Google deciding that since most viewers would have their phones beside them anyway, that would be the only way to interact with the device.

First up, you'd need to find the television episode, film, sports fixture, or documentary that you wanted to beam onto the big screen on your phone or tablet, then tap the Cast button to send it to the telly.

If you wanted to pause, rewind or skip forward, you'd need to pull your phone from your pocket. Later, you could use any Google Assistant-powered smart speaker, like the Nest Hub, to control playback with voice commands.

With the debut of the Chromecast with Google TV 4K in 2020 — seven years after the launch of the Chromecast line-up, Google performed a screeching U-turn and shipped a remote control in the box, as well as a traditional user interface with native applications, AI-powered recommendations, and games. Although it still boasted the ability to Cast from a phone, tablet, or laptop, there was no need to do so.

The Chromecast with Google TV 4K was a standalone device that looked much closer to efforts from competitors like Roku and Fire TV than its namesake. A more affordable version of the same hardware, restricted to streaming in HD quality, launched two years later.

And now, with the announcement of the Google TV Streamer this month, Google has killed off the Chromecast line-up for good. Both the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and Chromecast with Google TV HD will continue to be available until the existing inventory runs out, but Google is not manufacturing new stock.

Vice President of Engineering for Health & Home at Google, Majd Bakar has confirmed that the decision to close the chapter on the Chromecast line-up does not impact those who already own these devices. Mr Bakar reassures viewers there will be "no changes to our support policy for existing Chromecast devices, with continued software and security updates to the latest devices".

Explaining the decision to snuff out the Chromecast range after 11 years on store shelves across the globe, the Google executive wrote 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."

"When we launched Chromecast, most TVs had few (if any) apps, streaming was unreliable and complicated and connecting your TV to your phone, tablet or laptop was clunky and hard," he added.

"Chromecast was our answer to this problem, a simple and affordable way to cast your favourite online content right on your TV screen. It was as easy as plugging in the device and hitting play.

"Chromecast’s small dongle form factor made it easy to hide behind a TV, and the affordable price made it accessible to millions and the perfect gift for many.

"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.

"Android TV has expanded to 220 million devices worldwide and we are continuing to bring Google Cast to other TV devices, like LG TVs. 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.

"Today, we’re introducing Google TV Streamer, a more premium device built for the new era of entertainment and smart home needs. With Google TV Streamer, you can not only indulge your entertainment needs, but also have a hub for your whole smart home.

"Still, Google TV Streamer wouldn't exist without Chromecast paving the way."

The Google TV Streamer marks the beginning of a new era for the Californian firm's television efforts, with a more premium price tag, a focus on an all-in-one smart home hub, and a traditional remote control with no requirement to have your smartphone on-hand to pick your next binge-watch.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Millions of PC users abandon Windows 10 as critical deadline approaches
• If you owned one of these MacBooks, Apple could owe you up to £300
• Google bans 5 dangerous apps — but Android users still aren't safe
• Your Sky TV box just unlocked 6 brand-new channels for free

While it might ditch the "Chromecast" branding, this new set-top box is sure to still have the ability to "Cast" video, photos, apps, and more from your smartphone, tablet, or Google Chrome web browser to the television.

Google TV Streamer is available for pre-order now in the United States ...but there's no word on when the new streaming set-top box will be available outside of the US. Google will begin to ship its new streaming kit on September 24. As well as the Google Store, US shoppers will be able to buy the Google TV Streamer from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.