Good news for users of Chromecast on Google TV : after months (years?) of waiting, Android 12 will finally land on your televisions !
After all, better late than never.
Chromecast welcomes Android 12 under Google TV
Launched at the very end of 2020, the Chromecast with Google TV unfortunately did not receive the follow-up that we could have imagined. It has in fact only received very few new features and has essentially had to make do with patches related to security and various bugs. It would seem that the low storage capacity of the Chromecast (8 GB only) is one of the main causes of this premature “abandonment”. A limitation that inevitably complicates the update of applications and the system itself. But good news: the OS will soon (finally) be updated.
The Mountain View firm recently confirmed in the columns of 9to5Google that the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) would be updated to Android 12 in the relatively near future. If this update should not upset your habits with Chromecast on TV, it will however bring some welcome features.
Android 12 under Chromecast (Google TV): what’s new?
On the program of this update, we find the support for the user interface in 4K or the arrival of indicators for the microphone and the camera. So that you have an overview of everything that is expected, here is the complete list of new features of Android 12 for your TV shared by Google:
Media
- Avoid motion jerks during playback by using refresh rate switching.
- API certified accuracy for reporting display modes, HDR formats and surround sound formats.
User interface
- Background blur with RenderEffect and in WindowManager
- 4K UI support
- Accessibility settings for font sizes
- Privacy and Security
Microphone and camera indicators
- Switch between microphone and camera
- Device Attestation via Android KeyStore API
- HDMI and tuner
HDMI CEC 2.0 support
- HAL 1.1 tuner with DTMB support and performance improvements
- Best protection model with Tuner Service
If no precise date has yet been communicated for the deployment of Android 12 on Chromecast with Google TV, we should not wait very long before seeing this update land.
€59.99
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- Always so simple, minimalist and easy to install
- A clear and complete interface
- 4K and multi-HDR compatibility
Google’s new Chromecast is a nice little surprise, though there’s always things to talk about. Given its price positioning, we can say that the investment is relevant if it is a question of giving a facelift to a television, of filling the gaps of an OS that is too restrained (Panasonic television users will perhaps recognize be), or to easily enjoy all your services wherever you are. The minimalism and nomadic character of the Chromecast are indeed great assets compared to a multimedia box.
The new Google TV interface, as well as the remote control, marks a definite shift for the Chromecast. The idea in place is appreciable, even if it will undoubtedly benefit from improvement in the weeks and months to come; with new applications (Apple TV, Stadia, Salto) and hopefully with interface improvements so that the idea of no longer having to launch each application is effective.
Finally, we will not fail to underline the absence of the Ethernet adapter, an element which can prove to be important on your Wi-Fi connection which is not the most stable. Google certainly provides a remote control now, but the RJ 45 is sorely lacking.
For €69.99, the Chromecast with Google TV finally offers a solid experience. Some slowdowns are sometimes noted, but nothing that impacts the experience too significantly.
Google’s new Chromecast is a nice little surprise, though there’s always things to talk about. Given its price positioning, we can say that the investment is relevant if it is a question of giving a facelift to a television, of filling the gaps of an OS that is too restrained (Panasonic television users will perhaps recognize be), or to easily enjoy all your services wherever you are. The minimalism and nomadic character of the Chromecast are indeed great assets compared to a multimedia box.
The new Google TV interface, as well as the remote control, marks a definite shift for the Chromecast. The idea in place is appreciable, even if it will undoubtedly benefit from improvement in the weeks and months to come; with new applications (Apple TV, Stadia, Salto) and hopefully with interface improvements so that the idea of no longer having to launch each application is effective.
Finally, we will not fail to underline the absence of the Ethernet adapter, an element which can prove to be important on your Wi-Fi connection which is not the most stable. Google certainly provides a remote control now, but the RJ 45 is sorely lacking.
For €69.99, the Chromecast with Google TV finally offers a solid experience. Some slowdowns are sometimes noted, but nothing that impacts the experience too significantly.
Source : 9to5Google
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