Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Google may be working on a new Chromecast Ultra with an external remote

By

Google’s Chromecast Ultra, the popular streaming device that separated itself from the rest of the pack by forgoing a remote in lieu of your own connected device, is reportedly making a comeback. And it’s adding a remote.

Recommended Videos

According to a report by 9to5Google, a second-generation Chromecast Ultra featuring Android TV is in the works at Google, and it may be released later this year. The device will reportedly continue to have a dongle-like design but will add the first external remote in the history of the Chromecast lineup.

The 9to5Google report says the news came from “a reliable source familiar with the company’s plans.” Google has not officially confirmed any news relating to a new Chromecast device. However, Protocol’s Janko Roettgers spotted a Federal Communications Commission filing for a Google remote for an unknown device. While this isn’t verified confirmation, it’s a promising sign that Google is developing its next streaming device.

Hmmmm… a Google Remote for an unknown device just passed through the FCC… https://t.co/nz0xBG8AtL pic.twitter.com/6gEQ35nR7g

— Janko Roettgers (@jank0) March 10, 2020

According to 9to5Google, the second-generation Ultra will support 4K HDR content, which is essentially expected of streaming devices these days. The report claims the remote will have a microphone and a dedicated Google Assistant button, and will be able to control your TV as well.

The report’s source also said the new Chromecast Ultra will be similar in design to the third-generation Chromecast that was released in 2018, with a rounder finish, a standard “G” logo and an HDMI connector resembling the current Chromecast Ultra.

Since this is an unconfirmed report on an unannounced product, there isn’t any available information regarding pricing or release date. Google could have launched it at Google I/O 2020, but the May 12 to 14 event was scrapped as concerns over the coronavirus continue to grow. With Google joining the ranks of tech companies scrambling as a result of cancellations, we’ll have to wait and see when Google decides to launch its newer devices, and if a new Chromecast Ultra may be among them.

The original Chromecast Ultra competed in a streaming market that included standouts like the Roku Ultra, Amazon Fire TV and Nvidia Shield. The Chromecast platform’s casting ability — allowing you to send almost everything you’re watching on your phone, tablet or computer to your TV — was a unique quality among the rest of the competition, and the cheaper Chromecast has been our pick for best casting streaming device.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Nick Woodard
Nick Woodard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
  As an A/V Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Nick Woodard covers topics that include 4K HDR TVs, headphones…
Motorola just launched a new Android phone to take on the Google Pixel 8a
A render of the front and back of the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

If you have your heart set on a phone with a stylus, you’re probably familiar with Samsung devices like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the previous Galaxy S23 Ultra. But there is another company out there that ships phones with a stylus — Motorola. Unlike Samsung’s flagship, the new Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) won’t break the bank thanks to its $400 starting price in the U.S.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is the latest in a series of midrange stylus-equipped phones that Motorola started releasing in 2020. The latest model keeps up with its predecessors with solid midrange capabilities and, as the name indicates, support for 5G.

Read more
You can finally order Walmart’s $50 Chromecast with Google TV killer
Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device box.

The Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device has an unassuming name and very tempting price. Walmart

Google I/O is just around the corner. But for all the new Googley goodness we expect -- and a ton of that's going to include the letters A and I -- one thing we're not planning on seeing is a successor to the venerable-but-aging Chromecast with Google TV. That's why this $50 box from Walmart's in-house Onn brand has had folks excited. Because in addition to just being ... not new -- the current Chromecast basically is four years old -- it's always been pretty underpowered for what it does.

Read more
Google just launched a new Pixel Tablet … kind of
The Google Pixel Tablet sitting outside with its screen on.

With the excitement of the Google Pixel 8a launch, it might have passed a little unnoticed that Google also launched a new Pixel Tablet — though not exactly. For one thing, the “new” Pixel Tablet is the exact same device as the “old” Pixel Tablet. We mean that literally: same specs, same look, same screen. The only difference with the newly launched Pixel Tablet is that it’ll be sold without its charging/speaker dock, unlike the previous model, which included it.

At $399, the new Pixel Tablet is $100 cheaper than the earlier model, but that’s to be expected — both because it doesn’t come with any hardware refresh and also because it cuts the dock. It's also worth noting that it will not be launched with any new first-party accessories like a keyboard or stylus, which were previously rumored for the tablet.

Read more