Google has just announced the withdrawal of a very practical sharing feature on its Chromecast
Need to share content from your smartphone to your TV? No problem if you have a Google Chromecast connected to your TV.
A very practical guest mode for your guests
These small devices connect to your TV with an HDMI port and link directly to your home Wi-Fi network. For anyone who doesn’t have smart TVs or TV boxes like the latest Chromecast with Google TV, the Chromecast is an easy way to go from small to big screen in seconds.
In Google applications, such as YouTube, but also in third-party applications such as Netflix, pressing the Chromecast button launches the connection between the smartphone and the Chromecast, to enjoy its streaming content on a much larger screen, and with the family. .
You may not know it, but the Chromecast also had a Guest mode, which allowed all your friends to send content from their smartphone or tablet to your Chromecast, without even having to connect to your Wi- Fi. So ideal for them to show you their vacation photos and videos in seconds.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to test this feature, since Google has just officially announced its withdrawal from the entire Chromecast lineup.
A clever process, which disappears from Chromecast without explanation
This deletion actually dates back several months, but it is only today that Google officially communicates on the matter. It has been removed from the Google Home app, as well as recent versions of Google Play Services for Android smartphones.
This functionality was however very interesting from a technical point of view. To connect to your device, the user did not even need to type a code, however present on the screen. In effect, the Chromecast acted as a small Wi-Fi and Bluetooth beacon and sent the pin code by ultrasound to phones passing nearby. The four-digit code displayed on the screen was only a fallback, if the automatic connection did not work.
This little technological feat is no longer available, and Google has not explained the reasons that led it to part with it. The only technical solution communicated by the support page is to ask for the Wi-Fi code of your friend to be able to continue enjoying the service.
Source : 9to5Google
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