There’s still no sign of a successor to Google’s 4K-enabled Chromecast with Google TV, but there has been plenty of chatter about an HD-only version of the streaming dongle, and a recent FCC filing hints that the device is about to break cover.
We first learned details about the purported step-down Chromecast with Google TV back in January in a report from Protocol, and now 9to5Google has spotted an FCC filing for a Google “wireless device” that appears to be the lower-end streaming dongle.
The FCC filing doesn’t reveal any photos, but it does describe a device capable of streaming video at up to 1080p resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a USB charging port, and a “remote controller.”
Naturally, the documents don’t say when the not-certain-but-very-probably 1080p Chromecast with Google TV will actually arrive; generally speaking, however, devices that hit the FCC tend to be just months away from launch.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment.
Google currently has two Chromecast devices on sale: the 4K-enabled Chromecast with Google TV, which arrived in 2020, and the third-generation Chromecast, a five-year-old dongle that only streams at resolutions up to 1080p. The devices sell for $50 and $30, respectively.
The Chromecast with Google TV was the first Chromecast device to boast the Google TV user interface and a voice remote, allowing you to stream videos without having to dig up your phone.
On the other hand, the third-generation Chromecast is really just a streaming-video endpoint, and like previous Chromecast dongles, it lacks a remote, relying instead on a phone or another Chromecast-enabled device.
Given that the FCC filing says that a “remote controller” comes with the new Google device, it seems safe to assume that the upcoming gadget will also be a “with Google TV” streamer, albeit with HD-only resolution.
Amazon and Roku offer their own 1080p-only streamers, including the $40 Fire TV Stick and the $30 Roku Express.
Both of those competing video sticks come with remotes and full-on user interfaces, so it makes sense for Google to refresh its long-in-the-tooth 1080p Chromecast.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.