Earlier this week, a Reddit post claimed that Google Support had confirmed plans to discontinue Chromecast Audio. The poster reported that they'd ordered a Chromecast Audio for Christmas, but that it had been cancelled by Google with discontinuation as the reason. That was an unofficial claim, but things changed today with confirmation from Google that Chromecast Audio is officially over.
In a move that's been a long time coming, Chromecasts are finally available through Amazon's store once again. This ends a three-year Chromecast drought on Amazon, which was the result of a long-running feud between the two companies. While the hatchet probably hasn't been buried entirely, it seems that the two companies are beginning to put their differences behind them.
Google has updated Chromecast with the ability to sync to Google Home audio groups. The new functionality enables users to tie together both televisions and speakers in their home, expanding the number of devices that can be used to play audio. When synced to a speaker group, a television with Chromecast will play the same audio as the speakers.
Google wasn't short on new products today, and adding to the confusion the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel Slate, Home Hub, and other devices aren't all shipping at the same time. If you've been trying to figure out just when your credit card will take a beating, how much it'll be for, and when you'll see the fruits of treating yourself, we've got you covered. Read on for the key availability and pricing details.
Joining its more exciting announcements today, Google has also taken the wraps off its latest and greatest Chromecast model. The third-generation version of its casting device sports a clean new look with a simple 'G' logo, though features and form factor largely remain the same. The company did slip a couple notable changes into the new model, though.
With just a week left before Google's big hardware event of the year, all the leaks and even official teasers are falling into place. Unless there is actually no notch on the Pixel 3 XL, there might be nothing to surprise us when the actual reveals come. Especially thanks to leaks like this that leave no stone unturned, even product bundles that seem to offer nothing new until you take a closer look.
Google's big October Pixel 3 event may not be for another week, but the 3rd Gen Chromecast we're expecting to see debut there has already shown up in the wild. The new version of Google's streaming TV adapter isn't meant to make its official appearance until October 9th, but it seems more than one retailer has pulled the trigger early.
A new Google Chromecast is in the pipeline, with the specs of the updated streaming device previewed in recently-revealed test filings. Expectations for the streamer are fairly low, though if you've found yourself frustrated by wireless hiccups when trying to beam higher-resolution video it might still be enough to tempt you into upgrading.
As we reported earlier today, many Google Home and Chromecast users experienced an outage today that left them unable to use their devices. Google Home smart speakers warned impacted users that "there was a glitch," advising them to try again. When the user tried again, though, the same issue surfaced. Chromecast devices, meanwhile, failed to stream content to displays.
Google Home and Chromecast are both down, with widespread reports from users that their smart speakers won't work and their streaming adapters won't stream. Saying "Ok Google" to a Google Home speaker, for instance, gets the response that "there was a glitch, try again in a few seconds."
Netflix has been pushing out a bunch of relatively minor but welcomed updates over the last couple weeks, not the least of which is newly added support for skipping introductions on shows via Chromecast. The skip intro button has already been made available on most other platforms that support Netflix, such as smart TVs, enabling users to bypass long or repetitive intros and go straight to the content.
Google has a habit of teasing many things and then sometimes forgetting about them as time passes. At the I/O developer conference last year, it showed off what would practically become the precursor to the new breed of Assistant-powered smart displays unveiled last CES. It teased how asking Google Home would, at times, pop up the answer on a Chromecast-connected TV. That feature has finally arrived and now you can enjoy actually seeing the weather rather than waiting for Google Assistant to finish rattling off other information.