Google is reportedly going to hold an event on September 29 to unveil two new Nexus phones, but that may not be the only new product that it shows there.
A new report from 9to5Google claims that we’ll also see new Chromecast hardware at the September 29 event. According to the internal documents that’ve been leaked, the new Chromecast will have a new form factor that looks a bit like a balloon or headphone. The device is shown in three colors: yellow, black, and red.
The new Chromecast reportedly packs several new features in addition to its new design. Expected to be included is better Wi-Fi as well as a new “feeds” feature. Not much about the “feeds” feature is known, but it’s speculated that it could display social media or image feeds as part of the Chromecast’s backdrop mode.
Another alleged feature of the new Chromecast is “Fast Play.” It’s thought that this could mean that the Chromecast will connect much quicker than the current model. Finally, “Chromecast Audio” could be a feature that’ll let the Chromecast plug into any speaker with an auxiliary cord and enable multi-room support, high-quality audio, and the ability to mirror Chrome or your Android device.
Google’s Chromecast is a very popular streaming device, not only because of its ability to beam content from your phone or tablet to your TV, but also because of its low $35 price tag. It’s always been a question of when, not if, Google would refresh the Chromecast, and it looks like that’s finally going to happen in a couple of weeks. The look of the new Chromecast is an interesting one, but because it’s mostly going to be plugged into the back of your TV, what matters are the new features. And if it does indeed have faster Wi-Fi and a price point similar to the original Chromecast, I’m sure a lot of folks will happily upgrade.
