Chromecast with Google TV – the company’s solution for turning your regular TV into a smart TV – launched in India in July. While users in the US and other countries had access to the device two years ago when it debuted, those of us in India could choose from devices from companies like Amazon, Realme and Xiaomi. Google offers a handy interface on top of its Android TV operating system, which puts your streaming services front and center and shows you personalized suggestions. But is the arrival of Chromecast with Google TV in 2022 too late?
On this week’s episode of the Gadgets 360 Orbital podcast, host Akhil Arora talks with Senior Reviewer Ali Pardiwala, who recently reviewed the Chromecast with Google TV, and Senior Reviewer Sheldon Pinto. There’s a lot to be said for Google’s latest streaming device to debut in India, from the features to Google’s confusing naming scheme for its software and hardware.
The Chromecast with Google TV is a streaming device with its own operating system and remote control, unlike its older Chromecast models. Google TV is a user interface – or launcher – on top of Android TV, which is only found on certain devices. This could give it an edge over other streaming devices, which come with the standard Android TV operating system. Meanwhile, other manufacturers like Xiaomi offer two launchers, the default Android TV launcher and the company’s PatchWall interface.
The Google TV interface offers a much better recommendation system, according to Ali. Recommendations are displayed in your subscriptions and they will appear when you perform a search. For example, searching for a movie will show you the cheapest and most convenient way to stream the content to your TV. It will also show you the option to rent movies on Google TV, if it’s not available on the streaming services you subscribe to.
Chromecast with Google TV review
The Chromecast with Google TV was launched globally in 2020 while the device was only launched in India in July this year. But that’s not a bad thing, as streaming devices don’t really need frequent updates, Ali says. There’s no reason the device was launched so late, especially when you consider the missed sales opportunity in the country at the start of the pandemic.
You can listen to all of this in detail and more in our episode by hitting the play button on the embedded Spotify player above.
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