The New Google TV Streamer Has Some Big Shoes to Fill

Four years since the launch of its last major model of the Chromecast with Google TV, and the tech giant is approaching a new flagship release in the home-streaming hardware market. Dropping the Chromecast moniker and going by the Google TV Streamer, this new larger system has just been announced, and it’s got a lot to live up to.

With four years of faster technology now available for the new platform, users are expecting a system that can keep up with modern competitors without adopting their weak points. It’s a difficult ask, especially considering how much the former model could do, and how the trajectory of modern tech isn’t always an upward one.

The Customisation Options of Chromecast with Google TV

The Chromecast with Google TV wasn’t just a great option at its price point, it was also hugely flexible. Outside of TV, for example, users could engage with a huge number of interactive experiences, like blackjack at Paddy’s online casino. Though originally designed for play on desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, these RNG games like Buster Blackjack and live titles like Infinite Blackjack could play just as well on Google’s older system too. It’s a fully-featured casino experience on this platform, and browsing wasn’t alone.

The accessible Android firmware on the Chromecast with Google TV meant that it could run an enormous range of both official apps and third-party software. Sites like How to Geek have helpful guides that even the most technically unconfident users can follow, granting access to apps like Stremio, SmartTubeNext, and MiXplorer.

“Chromecast Google TV White” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by TheBetterDay

Possible Threats with the Google TV Streamer

We don’t yet have detailed information on the specifications of the Google TV Streamer, or how open the operating system will be to third-party applications. What we do have is a wide-ranging precedent of big tech companies cutting back on the customisation and access options you have with devices you’ve purchased.

This is part of a wider issue that’s been infecting technology in the last few years, noted as a “Death of Ownership” by Business Insider. Through agreements hidden away in the terms and conditions, big companies are constantly seeking to decrease the amount of control that you have over repairs, modifications, and basic functionality.

This was even seen recently in the TV streaming space with users of Roku devices being unable to access their systems until they consented with new dispute resolution terms. In this well-reported and deeply insulting incident, users were forced to give up their consumer rights to access something they already paid for. This is hardly a new development in the tech space, and it’s something all users have to fear going forward, especially from a company as big and with a storied history as Google.

“Roku” (CC BY 2.0) by JeepersMedia

Of course, this could also be a case where the new Google TV Streamer comes out and lives up to all expectations. Given the recent environment, however, we’d recommend potential new buyers wait for consumer reviews before committing to a purchase.