The rumors have been floating around for months now and we even saw some product listings on some e-commerce sites. So it looks like the upcoming Chromecast dongle is ready to be announced by the end of this month. Now we’re getting even more details and some images leaked including the possible final name of the device: Chromecast with Google TV. If it’s indeed the actual name, then the rumors about the long-awaited rebranding Android TV to Google TV may also be true.
German website WinFuture shared some “official products images” of the Chromecast with Google TV that have been leaked. It basically looks like an HDMI dongle that can be connected to any TV or display that has an HDMI port. This will make Chromecast a streaming device that will have the interface of what is currently known as Android TV but which may eventually be renamed Google TV, if these leaks are to be believed.
The images showed that it is an oval-shaped device that will be powered through a USB port. It also has a status LED at the back as well as a reset button. It will supposedly come with a remote control which is also shown in the leaked images. The remote has a D-Pad, navigation buttons, as well as a Google Assistant button. There’s also a “favorites” button so you can assign frequently used apps and dedication buttons for YouTube and even Google’s “rival” Netflix.
The remote has buttons on the side for volume control plus an on/off button at the back in case you need to switch Chromecast on and off. This implies that Chromecast will continually be running in the background. As for the name change from Android TV to Google TV, that seems to be inevitable and branding-wise and hopefully feature-wise, this should be a good move. We should also get a new UI along with the change.
Chromecast with Google TV (or whatever the final name will be) is expected to be announced at the end of September along with other Google devices. Pricing is rumored to be around 50 dollars, if the listings on Target and other e-commerce sites last week are true.
