According to 9 to 5 Google, Google TV fans may be getting a new device that will be a major departure from the Chromecast. A picture of the new device, which appears to be a small white HDMI-connected box as opposed to a dongle has been circulating along with a picture of the remote, which for the most part is unchanged from the Google Chromecast with Google TV. The major difference is the volume control has been removed from the side of the remote and been given a rocker button alongside the rest of the controls.
What’s in a name?
The website said that the name is expected to be the “Google TV Streamer”. This would be an odd choice because it sounds more like the description of a product than the name of one. For instance Apple’s streamer, the Apple TV …… The name Chromecast automatically denotes the image of a dongle, Roku Stick or Fire TV Stick kind of explains it all quickly. But by calling it the Google Streamer, Google risks losing out on a branding opportunity by simply sounding generic. To be fair the hot rumor ahead of the release of the Fire TV was that the product would be called the Fire Tube. But who knows? We didn’t think WBD would actually call their streaming service MAX either.
Is this the end of the Chromecast?
I really doubt it. Aside from Apple, the rest of the streaming world offers a range of prices for their streaming products. There are multiple Roku models, multiple Fire TV devices, and even two Nvidia Shield offerings. My guess is that hopefully, the new streaming device will offer a major performance and storage upgrade and be marketed as a premium product while the Chromecast remains on sale as an entry-level device. Google sort of innovated the idea of streaming dongles. It would seem counter-intuitive to abandon the entire form factor and price point. The key is to get people into the ecosystem, have them share their info, attach payment methods, and start providing the company with more monetizable data. Oh did you think this was about watching TV? So expect to hear language along the lines of
“This will be our new flagship product while the Chromecast will remain in order to encourage potential customers to embrace the innovative Google TV experience”
Oh yeah, that sounds about right, doesn’t it?
Image from 9 to 5 Google
