Google’s next streaming player looks nothing like the Chromecast

Google is seemingly about to move on from the HDMI dongle design of all its past streaming devices in favor of a more conventional set-top box. 9to5Google has published images of the upcoming product, which is apparently called the “Google TV Streamer.” So not only is the look of past Chromecasts going away, but so is the name.

The new device has a slanted top, and the overall design is in keeping with Google’s other recent hardware. As for the included remote, it’s mostly similar to what came with the last-gen Chromecast, though this one is longer and has a volume rocker right on the face.

The Google TV Streamer is likely to debut at the company’s August 13th hardware event alongside a litany of other products including the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9, Pixel Watch 3, Pixel Watch 3 XL, and probably some other surprises.

I’ve been waiting for Google to build a more powerful streaming player that could be a formidable competitor to the Apple TV 4K. The Chromecast with Google TV, introduced back in 2020, never quite got there and left the Nvidia Shield as the best alternative in terms of performance. In a few weeks, we’ll all have a better sense of whether the Google TV Streamer ups the ante or keeps the specs in check to reach Google’s usual under-$100 price point.