Google (GOOGL) has just announced that it is retiring a beloved decade-old product, and consumers are not too happy about the decision.
As the streaming business is rapidly evolving, so has the technology. Consumers once upon a time had to solely depend on third-party devices to grant their TVs with streaming capabilities, but now, most TVs already have streaming apps embedded into them.
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Google is now recognizing this trend, and as a result, it has decided to discontinue its Chromecast product line, and replace it with a more expensive option.
When Chromecast was first introduced in 2013, it was advertised as an adapter that allows users to cast content from their phones, computers or tablet onto their TVs. In later versions of the device, it began to embed Google TV, which granted users access to over 10,000 apps, allowing streaming of music, TV shows, movies, etc.
“Thousands of apps support casting, making it easier than ever to watch your content from your phone and tablet on the big screen,” said Google in the announcement on Aug. 6. “So we are taking the next step in evolving how streaming TV devices can add even more capabilities to your smart TV, built on top of the same Chromecast technology.”
Google also stated in the announcement that Chromecast “will now only be available while supplies last,” and the latest existing devices will continue to have “software and security updates.”
The last time Google unveiled a new Chromecast product was in 2022, when it introduced Chromecast with Google TV.
The tech company also revealed that Chromecast will be replaced with its new device; Google TV Streamer, which is meant to be “a faster, more premium version” of Chromecast.
The new device is dubbed as both a smart home hub and entertainment device that uses Google AI and users’ preferences “to curate content suggestions” across all of their streaming subscriptions.
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While Google TV Streamer comes with more capabilities, it also comes with a hefty price tag that is about three times more expensive than what Chromecast retails for. Google TV Streamer sells for about $99.99, while you can purchase a Chromecast device for $29.99.
Chromecast users aren't happy about the decision
After the announcement, many consumers took to social media to express their frustration with the discontinuation of Chromecast.
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The move from Google comes after its parent company, Alphabet, revealed in its second-quarter earnings report for 2024 that its revenue from Google's subscriptions, platforms and devices increased by roughly 14% year-over-year.
“Our strong performance this quarter highlights ongoing strength in Search and momentum in Cloud," said Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai in the report. "We are innovating at every layer of the AI stack. Our longstanding infrastructure leadership and in-house research teams position us well as technology evolves and as we pursue the many opportunities ahead.”
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