- An unknown Chromecast device has been found in the Google Home app
- The codename suggests that it is a Google device and not a third party
- But a similar discovery last year did not result in a new Chromecast
A new Chromecast with Google TV device has been rumored for over a year, but some new hints in an update to the Google Home app suggest one (or possibly two) models are in the pipeline.
Some dig out 9to5Google has found an unknown Chromecast device (codenamed ‘YTD’) in a recent update to the Google Home app. It appears on a list of supported streaming sticks, alongside the existing HD-compatible Chromecast and the 4K-ready Chromecast with Google TV.
The reason why it’s more likely to be a Google-made dongle, rather than one of the many other third-party devices also listed in the Google Home app, is because the ‘YTD’ model is apparently treated as the Google’s existing Chromecast models in the app, according to 9to5Google.
That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean a revamped Chromecast is imminent. As we saw in January 2023, a similar piece of code in the Google Home app – which at the time referred to a ‘YTC’ device – ultimately failed to result in any new launches. The HD-compatible Chromecast with Google TV arrived in September 2022, while the 4K version is even older, landing in September 2020.
The mentions of these two different codes (“YTD” in this leak and “YTC” in the previous one) could possibly indicate that two new Chromecasts are on the way, but that seems unlikely. A 4K Chromecast hardware refresh is the one most streamers are craving, so let’s hope this code discovery actually pays off this time.
What can a new Chromecast bring?
We still rate the Chromecast with Google TV, with 4K HDR support, as one of the best streaming devices out there. But it’s not perfect and a few tweaks would certainly make it a more modern streaming dongle.
One of the main complaints about the existing model is its limited 8GB storage space, which can quickly fill up with apps and prevent you from installing any more apps. That’s because there’s actually only 4GB available outside the operating system itself, and this isn’t much, despite Google adding a ‘free up space’ setting in its menu.
With Google’s 4K-capable Chromecast now over three years old, it could also use an updated processor and RAM boost to smooth out the experience. One of our few criticisms in our Chromecast with Google TV review was that you sometimes noticed “a bit of lag on the main screen” and that the Google Assistant was a bit “hit and miss in terms of search results”.
With Google Gemini being preferred over Assistant on Android these days, Google could potentially give its streaming dongle an AI boost. But for now, we’d settle for an upgrade to the processor, RAM and storage, in addition to the existing ability to stream 4K HDR with Dolby Vision. If it can do all that for the same $49.99 / £59.99 / AU$99 price tag, it would definitely be a winner.
A possible launch window for a new Chromecast would be Google IO 2024, with that event most likely taking place in mid-May (last year the date was May 10). But at this point, that’s just speculation – and we’ll keep you posted on more concrete rumors about Google’s highly anticipated next Chromecast.