Quick Summary
An unannounced Chromecast device has been spotted in the code of the latest Google Home app.
This suggests that Google could be planning to refresh its existing lineup of Google TV dongles soon.
Google is reportedly planning to introduce at least one new Chromecast soon.
A mystery device has appeared in the Google Home app for Android phones. A reference to the unknown product has appeared in code alongside the existing Chromecast models (HD and 4K). That suggests it's in the same family.
The device is codenamed YTD and was found by 9to5Google. The site also claims that the Google Home app treats it like the other Chromecasts, suggesting that it must be a new dongle.
It is also fairly commonplace for Google to include in-development devices in its Google Home app. A device names YTC was also found in the code last year, so it could be that we're to get a refresh of both the HD Chromecast with Google TV and Chromecast with Google TV 4K models.
There's certainly a case for new versions, considering the existing streamers have been around since 2022 and 2020 respectively.
Amazon has released numerous Amazon Fire TV Sticks in the meantime, adding new processing power to improve the user experience. Surely Google will soon do the same?
What is the Chromecast with Google TV?
Google originally released its own Chromecast dongle 11 years ago. It worked very differently to rival devices in that it didn't have a homescreen or apps on the device itself.
Instead, you controlled it via your smartphone, "casting" content to it to be played on screen. The content was streamed over the internet directly rather than from your phone, but it still relied on a separate device for control.
The Chromecast with Google TV is much more like a conventional streaming device, with its own apps and access to all the popular streaming services. It also comes with a dedicated remote control.
Some Smart TV brands, especially those who have made Android TV sets in the past, now run the Google TV platform for streaming access. It has been regularly improved over the last few years to help it better compete with the likes of Amazon's Fire TV, Apple TV and the Roku system.
