Skip to main content

FCC filings reveal that Google is working on a 4K wireless Fiber TV box

1134533 autosave v1 google fiber channels
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Last year, Google paused the rollout of its Fiber service in 11 cities, and even though the company has since rolled out the service in more cities since then, customers have been worried about what this means. Fortunately for the relatively small group of Google Fiber TV subscribers, it seems the company hasn’t given up on the service, as FCC filings spotted by Business Insider point to a new 4K wireless set-top box on the way.

This new 4K Fiber TV box was first reported on last year by 9to5 Google, but at the time, details were scarce. With the FCC filings, not many more details have been made available, but this is the first official confirmation that the box is on the way and that, as reported, this will be the first box from the company to operate wirelessly.

“The enclosed documents constitute a formal submittal and application for Equipment Authorization for a set-top box that contains a 4×4 5GHz 802.11a/n/ac and a Bluetooth 4.1 radio,” one of the letters included in the filing reads. Google Fiber TV boxes have included limited Wi-Fi connectivity before, but the wording here means that this one would not be tethered by a wired connection, allowing for more flexible placement in your house.

The initial reports of the new 4K Fiber TV box mentioned being able to stream from YouTube in High Dynamic Range (HDR). This isn’t immediately evident in the FCC filings, but Google’s Chromecast Ultra also supports HDR, so it’s unlikely that Google would not include this functionality in this device.

There is no word on when the new 4K set-top box could arrive, but some of the documents in the filing, including the manual and photos of the device, are being kept under wraps until August 8, 2017. This means the box will likely launch sometime before then, since Google likely doesn’t want the launch of the device being spoiled by the documents.

Editors' Recommendations

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
What is Google TV? Here’s everything you need to know
The Google TV home screen on a Hisense UX.

Google TV is one of the best streaming platforms, and it’s available on a wide range of devices. From smart TVs to plug-and-play HDMI gadgets like the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and HD models, you can do all kinds of cool things with Google TV. Of course, streaming movies and shows from the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video is the most basic thing this web-connected OS can do. 

You can also use Google TV to cast content from a mobile device to your TV, and can even call upon Google Assistant to control some of your smart home devices. We love that Google TV keeps tabs on your viewing history, too, in order to curate suggested movies and shows right on the home page. 

Read more
Let’s discuss an Apple TV 4K with a camera
An actual picture of an Apple TV, with a camera lens added by Photoshop's generative AI feature.

This Apple TV with a camera is not real — it's a product of a real Apple TV 4K and Photoshop. And that's likely as close as you'll get to one. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Here’s a not-so-secret secret about tech companies: They discuss all the things all of the time. Good ideas. Bad ideas. Good ideas that turn out to be bad. Bad ideas that, surprisingly, turn out to be good.

Read more
Vizio’s first 86-inch 4K TV is coming soon, for $999
Vizio 86-inch 4K TV.

While much of the recent attention on Vizio has been connected to its imminent acquisition by retail giant Walmart, the TV maker has just announced its first TV to break the 75-inch screen size barrier. The new 4K TV model has an 86-inch screen and will be available on April 29 for $999, a price that undercuts almost every other 86-inch model from competitors.

Along with this new TV, Vizio has also announced a major rebranding of its TV model categories.

Read more