We know Google will unveil four new Pixel phones at its big event next month, but there’s even more new hardware in the works. After reporting that Google was working on a sequel to the 4K Chromecast with Google TV earlier this year, 9to5Google is back with images of the new device, which is apparently called the “Google TV Streamer.”
The new streaming machine is seemingly getting a full makeover, as Google ditches the dongle design of the Chromecast in favor of a set-top box similar to the Apple TV. As you can see in the shot at the top of the article, the Google TV Streamer looks more like a router than it does like a vast majority of the streaming devices we’ve seen in recent years.
It’s unknown if the new design serves a practical purpose or if Google just wanted to mix things up with a fresh silhouette. It’s a relatively nondescript look and the device doesn’t seem to have any additional features or ports beyond a power cord and an HDMI cable.
The remote has also been redesigned. It’s a bit longer than the voice remote that ships with the Chromecast with Google TV, and the buttons have been rearranged.
Under the control wheel, you will now find the home button and the back button. Beneath that is the volume rocker (which came on the side of the old remote) and a voice input button (which no longer has Google Assistant branding). The mute button sits below the voice button, and the rest of the remote looks virtually identical. There are buttons for YouTube and Netflix, and the power and custom shortcut buttons are recessed into a pill-shaped groove.
We don’t know when Google plans to announce the new device, but we’re going to bet on Made by Google, which will take place on August 13.
