We can say that September 30 we had the “Google Day” we have been waiting and COVID-19 has taken for us. Today, Google unveiled its 2020 Pixel smartphone contender in the form of Pixel 5 and a 5G variant for the Pixel 4a. Apart from new smartphones, the company also announced a brand new Chromecast featuring Google TV. This is a much more advanced solution than previous generations, after all, it brings its own interface and a remote controller.
The new Chromecast brings a design that is similar to the previous generation, but more elongated. The HDMI cable plus directly into your TV or AV receiver. It can get power through the supplied USB adapter or using the USB-C connector.
The new “smart TV converter” also brings a set of upgrades on its hardware to make it a worthy contender over its predecessors.
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It brings a 4K @ 60Hz support alongside HDR10+ and HDR10. Moreover, we have Dolby Vision alongside Dolby Digital and Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos. Connectivity-wise, the product comes with dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth. Although Google failed to specify which version of BT it brings. Those who love Chromecast colorways will get Snow, Sunrise, and Sky flavors this year.
As aforementioned, the new Chromecast with Google TV also brings a remote controller. It has volume buttons on the side and quick shortcuts for Google Assistant, YouTube, and Netflix. The remote also brings a built-in accelerometer that can be used for games. It connects to the dongle via Bluetooth, but the controller has an IR for TV, Soundbars, and Receivers.
Last year, we saw rumors pointing on Google renaming Android TV to Google TV. Well, this happens now with the new dongle, but not how we’ve expected. It runs Google TV on top of Android TV. It integrates most of the Android TV OS features and applications. It’s like a Google exclusive launcher for its products. Third-party TVs will likely receive the new Google TV interface in the future. In fact, it will come as an update for the Google Play Movies app. The new UI will resemble Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV UI. It brings a nice set of shortcuts and features to improve usability.
The new dongle is available in the US today for a $50 price tag. It will also be available across Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Pre-orders are available in these regions, however, the actual sales will start on October 15.
