Some of you may have heard the news that Google was working on a new dongle, quite a bit like the Chromecast. You may have seen it pass through the FCC, but with I/O 2018 upon us, it has become clear that this device is called the ADT-2, a developer kit for Android TV developers. It is not a consumer device of any sort, but will be released only to developers for Android TV.
Think of the ADT-2 as an Android TV device that developers can carry around as they develop apps for the Android TV platform. Google won’t even disclose the specs of the device, so we will have to go with what we know. It is roughly the size of a Chromecast Ultra, with an HDMI plug on one end and a power port on the side. The portable size is interesting because it is supposed to run Android TV, and in fact, Google is designing it to run Android P when the device finally ships out to developers.
The ADT-2 will also have its own remote, which is built on a new reference design for hardware manufacturers who want to manufacture Android TV-powered hardware. The ADT-2 as a new reference device for Android TV makes sense, because the Nexus Player is no longer being supported as a reference device and will not work for current Android TV developers.
This may not be a consumer device, but as a reference device, it looks interesting because such a portable device could be able to run Android TV. Imagine being able to carry your Android TV device around with you pretty much like a Chromecast. That should be pretty nice.
VIA: Android Central
