A revamped Google TV Streamer could undercut new Apple TV 4K
Rumour has it that Google is working on an update to its TV Streamer, which feels particularly well timed given that Apple just unveiled its 4th-generation Apple TV 4K.
It appears that this 2nd-generation TV Streamer will feature microphones on the device itself so that you can enjoy hands-free voice activation without needing to reach for the remote first, courtesy of 9to5Google.
Although the button on the back of the current Google TV Streamer makes finding a lost remote easy enough, the convenience of simply being able to sit down and ask for what you want without needing to scroll through any menus is definitely appealing. It would allow the Streamer to compete more directly with the already hands-free Amazon Fire TV Cube.
What’s interesting though is the hint that the new Streamer could also have built-in presence sensors, allowing the device to switch on when someone enters the room.
There’s precedent for how this feature might work thanks to existing TCL TVs which have their own presence sensors and make Google Photos appear as a screensaver when a person is detected, but they switch over to showing information like the weather if that person gets closer to the TV.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry
More typical updates are also expected to follow, including a bump in storage from the current 32GB cap, as well as a faster processor.
The remote is set for a smaller tweak, with Google supposedly adding two extra shortcut buttons to sit alongside the current pair which take you directly to YouTube and Netflix.
Although there’s no word on when this updated Google TV Streamer might come to market, the timing of the device does feel opportune given that the new Apple TV 4K comes with a massive price increase, jumping up to £299/$299 after the previous generation model had a much lower price tag, starting at £149/$129.
Given that the current TV Streamer is priced at £99/$149.99, so long as Google doesn’t increase the cost too much, its successor has a chance to massively undercut the new Apple TV and present itself as a better value option for the masses.
It’s been a busy few months for Google after the brand unleashed its latest series of phones, including the Pixel 11 Pro XL and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and more recently debuted the all-new Fitbit Edge tracker, which effectively replaces the Fitbit Charge 6 on the market.
