New Google TV Streamer is in development. It will hear you even without a remote and know when you enter the room

Google TV Streamer, which replaced Chromecast two years ago, is getting a successor. According to information from 9to5Google, it is in development, and its main new features will be appreciated by anyone who hunts for the remote among pillows every evening: the new Streamer will hear you even without it and will know that you have entered the room.

You won’t need a remote for “Hey Google”

9to5Google writes, citing a source familiar with the development, that the new model will retain its current design. It will only be slightly narrower, thus taking up less space under the TV.

The biggest change will be microphones directly in the device’s body. Openings for them are expected to appear on the tapered top surface and will await the “Hey Google” command. Today, you have to hold a button on the remote and speak into it; the new Streamer should hear you even from the couch, without you even looking for the remote.

What will presence detection be for?

The second hardware novelty will be presence detection. This year, the TCL QM9K TV was the first among Google TV devices to offer it. When someone enters the room, it starts a screensaver with photos from Google Photos, and when you approach the TV, it shows you the time or weather.

How exactly the Streamer would utilize the function is not specified by the source. However, a similar scenario logically presents itself: the TV would greet you with useful information, without you having to reach for the remote.

Faster processor and two extra buttons

Inside, according to the source, there will be a faster processor and more storage than today’s 32 GB. However, the leak does not name the specific chip or capacity, and there was no mention of the operating memory, which the current model has 4 GB.

The included remote control will also undergo a change. Its appearance will remain similar, but two additional shortcuts will be added to the YouTube and Netflix buttons. Which services they will be for is not yet clear. A button is also said to remain on the back of the Streamer, which, when pressed, will make a lost remote ring.

When will the new Streamer arrive and how much will it cost?

The release date is not yet known, and Google has not officially confirmed the new product. Four years passed between the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and the current Streamer, which was released in August 2024. In the meantime, only a cheaper HD version of Chromecast was released.

The new TV Streamer will probably not be a cheap affair. The current generation has significantly increased in price due to the rising cost of components and currently costs 4,199 CZK on Alza, even though it was sold for 2,999 CZK until June. 9to5Google did not mention a specific price for the upcoming model, so we can only speculate, but it is certainly possible that it will start above four thousand crowns.

Will you wait for the new generation, or is the current Google TV Streamer enough for you?

Sources: 9to5Google, Android Authority, Tech Advisor