Google has announced their Chromecast will be discontinued.
Google has decided to end production on its Chromecast
The digital media player was launched by the search engine giant more than a decade ago but the company has now made the decision to pull the plug on the device amid the sudden rise of technology.
In a blog post, Google said: "After 11 years and over 100 million devices sold, we're ending production of Chromecast, which will now only be available while supplies last. The time has now come to evolve the smart TV streaming device category — primed for the new area of AI, entertainment and smart homes. With this, there are no changes to our support policy for existing Chromecast devices, with continued software and security updates to the latest devices.
"When we launched Chromecast, most TVs had few (if any) apps, streaming was unreliable and complicated and connecting your TV to your phone, tablet or laptop was clunky and hard. Chromecast was our answer to this problem, a simple and affordable way to cast your favorite online content right on your TV screen. It was as easy as plugging in the device and hitting play. Chromecast’s small dongle form factor made it easy to hide behind a TV, and the affordable price made it accessible to millions and the perfect gift for many.
"Since then, technology has evolved dramatically. Streaming and smart TVs abound. We invested heavily in embedding Google Cast technology into millions of TV devices, including Android TV. Android TV has expanded to 220 million devices worldwide and we are continuing to bring Google Cast to other TV devices, like LG TVs. Thousands of apps support casting, making it easier than ever to watch your content from your phone and tablet on the big screen. So we are taking the next step in evolving how streaming TV devices can add even more capabilities to your smart TV, built on top of the same Chromecast technology."
The company has decided that the Google TV Streamer will exist in its place, which will operate in a similar vein to Amazon's Firestick that gives viewers access to a host of television channels and services like Netflix and Disney Plus.
The post added: "We’re introducing Google TV Streamer, a more premium device built for the new era of entertainment and smart home needs. With Google TV Streamer, you can not only indulge your entertainment needs, but also have a hub for your whole smart home."