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4K Chromecast Launching Alongside “Pixel Phone” On October 4
Google will launch a revamped Chromecast capable of 4K streaming in October
Paul Briden
11:37, 5 Sep 2016
There’s been a bit of a mega leak regarding Google’s plans for the remaining months of 2016, including details emerging of the firm’s re-branded Nexus smartphones launching as the Pixel phone brand (Pixel and Pixel XL) on October 4.
However, one major snippet of info worthy of its own investigation is the word that a new Chromecast device will also be revealed at the event. The news comes via Android Police’s unnamed “reliable source”, who says that the Chromecast will be capable of 4K quality media streaming and will either be dubbed as the Chromecast Plus or Chromecast Ultra.
The source also adds that the 4K Chromecast was actually planned for launch in 2015, but for some unknown reason was delayed.
That’s pretty much all there is to go on at this stage, it isn’t yet known where the launch event will be held, though we’re expecting it to be in the US, most likely San Francisco.
As well as the Chromecast Play/Ultra, the Pixel phone and Pixel XL, Google will also apparently unveil its first Daydream VR device, allegedly called the Daydream View.
There’s also not much known about possible pricing, other than the alleged prices that have already leaked for the Pixel phones when it was still thought they’d be Nexus hardware – it was believed the 32GB Nexus Marlin and Nexus Sailfish would be $599 and $449 respectively, but now that they’re the Pixel XL and Pixel will that price structure stick?
It is, admittedly, more expensive than the older Nexus models.
However, a new brand will ultimately lead to new things and features. Price could go up, but if it is inline and represented by additional specs and hardware that warrant such hikes Android users will all most certainly take the hit.
The idea of Google taking more control over its phones has been on the cards for a while now. I think the idea here is to create a more iPhone-style business, whereby Google has complete control over everything — including all revenues generated by the handsets.
Another interesting point is that Samsung and Huawei have both openly discussed a life outside the Android kingdom, so Google starting its own hardware business as a countermeasure makes sense. If Google can produce quality handsets and market them accordingly there is no reason it cannot become one of the biggest handset makers on the planet.
I cannot wait to see what Google comes to the table with later on this year.
Exciting times!