Google’s refreshed 4K Chromecast might be around the corner

Summary

• Google’s 4K Chromecast is due for an update due to aging internals, including limited storage space.
• The upcoming 4K Chromecast may include a new remote and support for AV1 codec, promising better efficiency.
• New Chromecast might feature an Amlogic S905X5 chip with advanced features and improved performance.

Google’s 4K Chromecast desperately needs an update as the existing model nears its fourth anniversary. While the company regularly rolls out updates for the current model, its internals are showing age, especially the limited 8GB of storage space. Signs of Google working on a new 4K Chromecast have popped up occasionally, but none of them revealed anything about the device. A report now claims that Google is gearing up to announce a refresh of the 4K Chromecast soon.

A 9to5Google report citing a source claims Google will soon launch a refreshed 4K Chromecast with Google TV. It will purportedly ship with a new remote and retail for the same $50 as its predecessor. While the streaming stick’s internals have not been detailed, Google should use a newer Amlogic SoC with AV1 decoding, with Amlogic’s S905X5 chip being the likely choice.

With streaming giants like Google (with YouTube) and others going all in on AV1, the upcoming Chromecast’s support for the codec will improve efficiency when streaming content.

Fabricated on a 6nm node, Amlogic claims its new chip reduces power consumption by 50%. It features an upgraded CPU for better performance and supports eARC, variable refresh rate, Dolby Atmos, and AV1 decoding. Announced in September 2023, the SoC was seemingly scheduled to enter mass production in Q2 2024.

Google should also increase the storage space to twice that of the current model, to 16GB or higher. There’s no mention of an increase in RAM, but a bump to 4GB will help with performance and future-proofing.

Upcoming 4K Chromecast’s remote could come with a new button layout

As for the new remote, a video found in Android 14 beta last year revealed its revamped button layout: four buttons on the controller’s left side, while the right side has two buttons and a large oblong-shaped button. It will also ship with a customizable “star” button, which you can seemingly map to an app of your choice.

If the report’s source is accurate, Google could announce the refreshed 4K Chromecast as soon as next month at its yearly developer conference. If not, the company might wait until October to launch the new streaming stick alongside the Pixel 9 series.