UPDATE: Protocol is reporting that the new Chromecast with Google TV will be a less-expensive model that maxes out at 1080p resolution.
The original Chromecast with Google TV, the first device to sport Google’s rebuilt Android TV platform, arrived in only late 2020 but a refreshed version may already be on the way.
According to 9to5Google, which dug into some Android application documentation, a new device codenamed “Boreal” is currently in development. Not much has been revealed yet in terms of specs and upgrades but the report suggests its likely a new Chromecast with Google TV will carry support for AV1, an open-source video codec from the Alliance for Open Media.
The first Chromecast with Google TV did not include AV1 support but reports suggest that Google will require all Android TV devices to support the format beginning March 31, 2022.
RELATED: Google executive details rollout time frame for AV1
Google earlier this month confirmed that both Android TV and Google TV are now running on 110 million active devices as of 2022. That number has increased significantly from the 80 million devices the company claimed in May of last year.
It’s unclear how much of the total is represented by Google TV but some of the platform’s early device partners have already claimed substantial sales.
During CES in Las Vegas, TCL said that it sells more than 10 million sets worldwide that run either Android TV or Google TV annually.
“TCL has also worked closely with Google to introduce the newest smart TV experience with Google TV. New features like hands-free voice control with Google Assistant, a content-first home screen and innovative ways to discover content has enriched TCL’s television lineup,” the company said in a statement.
TCL—which also builds smart TVs that run Roku’s operating system—was one of the first third-party manufacturing partners announced alongside Google TV in late 2020.