Rumors have been swirling all year around a new, cheaper version of Chromecast with Google TV. Now, a leak claims that the device’s launch is “imminent” and it will cost nearly 50 percent less than the current model, which is one of the best streaming devices in the market.
The German-language site WinFuture (opens in new tab) repots that some European retailers already have their hands on the new Chromecast with Google TV and will begin selling them soon for €40. That’s about a 43 percent decrease from the current dongle’s price of €70.
In the U.S., the current model retails for $50, so a comparable price for the cheaper Chromecast would be $29.
The lower cost reflects the fact that it will stream video in 1080p resolution at 60Hz, rather than the 4K capability of the existing device.
Reports of a cheaper Chromecast with Google TV first arrived back in January, then were seemingly confirmed in June by an FCC (opens in new tab) filing for a new Google-made device. While the filing didn’t explicitly state it was a Chromecast, it revealed the streaming specs and noted that it would be powered by a USB connection.
A lower-resolution streaming player is perfectly suitable for older HD TVs (the kind that you probably have in your guest room or basement) and most projectors. Google seems to want to compete in this space against the Roku Express, which streams up to 1080p and retails for $29.99, or Amazon’s similar Fire TV Stick Lite.
A $30 streaming dongle is extremely affordable, and all three companies tend to slash prices even further on Black Friday and other shopping holidays. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the cheaper Chromecast with Google TV go on sale not long after its launch.
As for when that might be, all we know from the leak is that the date is “imminent.” Perhaps we’ll get more details next month at the the Made by Google October 6 event.
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