The Chromecast is a fantastic device for streaming media from a phone, tablet, or computer to your TV.
However, what the Chromecast lacks compared to devices like a Roku or Fire Stick is a dedicated interface.
That's going to change with the next Chromecast, as confirmed by Reddit user u/fuzztub07 (as reported by The Verge). They managed to get their hands on the latest Chromecast early when a local Walmart accidentally sold it to them.
u/fuzztub07 showed off the device itself and even took the time to scroll through the interface so we can get a feel for what the device will be like when it releases.
What We Know About the New Chromecast
As far as the hardware is concerned, all of the previous leaks appear to have been true. The USB-C-powered dongle looks slightly different than previous Chromecast devices, but it's not a huge departure from the most recent generation. There's a dongle attached to a short HDMI cable that plugs into the TV.
The biggest change is the inclusion of a remote, which allows you to control the Chromecast directly and not just stream from a phone or a computer.
The most exciting new information to come from this leak is the interface. This video from Reddit shows exactly what the experience of using the new Chromecast will be like.
It looks like a comfortable interface with Google TV (FKA Android TV) installed. There are all sorts of apps listed including Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu, Peacock, HBO Max, and more.
Of course, the new device will also support Chromecast streaming, so if you prefer to control your media through a tablet, phone, or computer, the Chromecast will be able to do that for you, as have previous generations.
Interestingly, there's also a gaming section listed in the interface, though the early reports indicated that Google Stadia will not be supported.
Another key aspect of the new Chromecast is a lack of ethernet. However, there is 4K/HDR support and support for Bluetooth headphones.
New Chromecast Price and Availability
Since Google hasn't officially announced the new Chromecast yet, we can only speculate on the final availability of the device. However, the Reddit user said that Walmart sold the device for $49.98, which is about whay expect the device to be.
As far as the release date, we don't know that yet, but Google announced an event for September 30 where it will make the new Chromecast official and let us know when we can get our hands on one.