A top Google executive has indicated that Smart TV customers are more focused on the hardware specs of their TV, rather than the OS operating on it.
More than a decade into the mainstream adoption of video streaming, the operating software platform consumers use to watch their content is still a commodity-driven decision based primarily on the TV they’re buying, said Rob Caruso, director of product management for UX at Google TV.
“I don’t think consumers care about the OS,” said Caruso. “I think for the most part, what still drives TV purchasing … is size and price.”
Like Roku, Samsung, Amazon and other technology companies, Google is attempting to control the “gateway” experience to the global living room with a TV OS platform that offers intuitive, more elegant search and discovery, and greater app support, among other features.
At the start of this month, Google announced that its new Google TV Streamer will replace Chromecast. Over 100 million Chromecast devices have been sold over the last 11 years.
The new Google TV Streamer’s hardware includes a bump in specs with the device sporting a faster CPU (reportedly 22 per cent faster), more storage (32GB) and double the RAM (4GB) of the Chromecast.
The new Google TV Streamer
It also includes a USB-C port for power and an ethernet jack for connecting it to your network. It supports 4K HDR @ 60fps and connects to your TV via HDMI 2.1.
High-resolution Audio and Video support has been worked into the Google TV Streamer, with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos support, as well as Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. 802.11ac. You also get Bluetooth 5.1 and it supports Google Cast.
For those looking to integrate this device into their smart home ecosystem, the Google TV Streamer is also a smart home hub for your Google Home, with Matter support built-in and a Thread Border router included too.
It also features the Google Home panel that allows you to ‘check your cameras (see who’s there when your Nest Doorbell rings!), adjust the lights and temperature, close the blinds and more’.
As part of Google’s attempts to integrate AI into the mix, the Google TV Streamer will feature Google’s Gemini on-board and can curate content suggestions across all your streaming subscriptions, as well as building watchlists with recommendations, besides getting summaries, reviews and season-by-season breakdowns of content.
Android Authority has reported that the Google TV Streamer will feature Android 14, rather than Android 12 which Chromecast is currently running.
Priced at $99.99 (A$151.5) and available exclusively through the US Google Store for now, although Google Australia is believed to be bringing this device to Oz later this year.
