Google's next streaming player looks nothing like Chromecast

Google appears to be moving away from the HDMI dongle design of all its previous streaming devices and towards a more traditional set-top box. 9to5Google has published images of the upcoming product, which is apparently called the "Google TV Streamer." So not only is the previous Chromecast look going away, but the name is changing as well.

The new device has a slanted top, and its overall design is in line with Google's other recent hardware. As for the included remote, it's similar to the one that came with the previous-generation Chromecast, although this remote is longer and has a volume rocker on the front.

The Google TV Streamer is expected to launch at the company's August 13 hardware event alongside the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9, Pixel Watch 3, Pixel Watch 3 XL, and maybe a few other surprises.

I'm waiting for Google to make a more powerful streaming player that can be a formidable competitor to the Apple TV 4K. The Chromecast with Google TV introduced in 2020 never quite got there and left the Nvidia Shield as the best option in terms of performance. In a few weeks, we'll all have a better idea of whether the Google TV Streamer will raise its price or keep the specs in check to reach Google's usual sub-$100 price.