Chromecast with Google TV is getting a new update that comes with July 2024 security patch. This is the sixth Chromecast update to arrive in the last nine months. It is not a major update, so the operating system (OS) still remains at Android 12. However, the update addresses several bugs in the previous version of the OS. The update has been rolled out, but it may take a few days before all users get it. Notably, the tech giant launched the Google TV Streamer last month, ditching the older form factor.

Chromecast with Google TV Update Rolling Out

In a support document, Google announced the firmware update for Chromecast. It updates the existing STTL.240508.005 version to STTE.240615.007. With this, the Android security patch has been updated to July 2024 from June 2024. Notably, the July update has a size of 143MB, which is considerably larger than the previous update’s 71.94MB size.

However, since it is not a major update, Chromecast with Google TV is still kept at Android 12. A major update later this year is expected to bring this up to Android 14. Interestingly, this is the sixth Chromecast update to be released this year, matching last year’s count.

To update the Chromecast with Google TV, users need to go to Settings, scroll to System and tap on *About. There, users can find the option for System update.

Last month, Google decided to ditch manufacturing the new Chromecast with Google TV dongles as it upgraded the device form factor and rebranded it to Google TV Streamer branding, which comes in a set-top-box-like form factor. The latest smart home entertainment device by the tech giant supports media streaming in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision and HDR 10+.

It runs on Android TV OS and is paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage. The device can run apps such as YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV+, and more. Further, Google has also added several Gemini-powered artificial intelligence (AI) features for content recommendation and more.

Google, like all other major tech companies, is making its presence felt at CES 2024. The search engine giant announced a bunch of updates at the event Tuesday, including a new way to share images, files, and text between devices. Google is partnering with Samsung to introduce Quick Share, a unified cross-Android file sharing solution that brings Google’s Nearby Share and Samsung’s Quick Share under a single branding. The company said it had integrated the services to bring a default peer-to-peer content sharing option for Android and Chromebook devices. Additionally, Google is also working with manufacturers to bring Quick Share as a pre-installed app on Windows PCs.

With Quick Share, users can see a list of nearby available devices with a single tap of an icon. Of course, just like Apple’s AirDrop feature, Quick Share will allow users to tweak privacy settings to choose who can discover their Android device and send files. According to Google’s blog post detailing its CES announcements, the Quick Share feature will start rolling to current Nearby Share enabled devices in February.

Google is collaborating with Samsung to bring Quick Share on Android phones
Photo Credit: Google

Google also announced that it is extending Fast Pair support for Bluetooth accessories to Chromecast with Google TV next month and more Google TV devices later this year. Fast Pair allows users to seamlessly pair Bluetooth devices like headphones to Android phones and Chromebook laptops with a single tap in pairing mode. With the new update, TV audio can be quickly channelled to a pair of headphones or Bluetooth speakers.

There are more updates on the Chromecast front. While users can easily cast content from YouTube and other apps on their TV, Google is expanding the casting ability to more apps. Users can now cast TikTok content from their phones to Chromecast built-in devices. The ability to cast live videos from the social media app to the TV is also coming soon, the company said. Google is also rolling out a new casting feature that lets users cast music and podcasts from Spotify and YouTube Music apps on compatible Pixel phones to a nearby Pixel Tablet in docked mode.

Google is also bringing increased interoperability across devices with Matter, its standard for smart home platforms, apps and devices. “In the future, LG TVs and select Google TV and other Android TV OS devices will act as hubs for Google Home. So if you have a Nest Hub, Nest Mini or compatible TV, it’s easy to add Matter devices to your home network and locally control them with the Google Home app,” the blog said.

LG TVs and select Google TV and other Android TV OS devices will act as hubs for Google Home
Photo Credit: Google

And finally, upgrades are coming to Android Auto as well. In the coming months, EVs compatible with Android Auto will be able to share real-time battery information with Google Maps, according to the company. This feature will provide battery estimates upon arriving to your destination, suggest stops on the route, and estimate charging times.

Google on Wednesday announced a series of updates coming to Android that are aimed to bring convenience and ease to users. One of the most significant changes is the expansion of Fast Pair to TVs, Chromebooks, and ​​smart home devices. Headphones will also get the ability to automatically switch the audio from an Android device to a tablet seamlessly, Google announced. The company has additionally announced a quick setup of Chromebooks with Android phones. Similarly, smartwatches based on Wear OS will get the ability to unlock your Chromebook and Android devices.

Fast Pair has been in place for Android phones since November 2017 to let users quickly connect Bluetooth headphones with their smartphones. The proprietary standard is aimed to take on Apple’s quick pairing technology and is claimed to have helped people connect their Android phones with Bluetooth accessories over 100 million times.

Google is planning to expand Fast Pair to newer devices by partnering with various manufacturers and bringing new experiences.

Starting in a few weeks, Google said that users will be able to connect their Fast Pair-enabled Bluetooth headphones with a Chromebook automatically in a single click when they are turned on for the first time.

In addition to Chromebooks, Fast Pair will work with smart TVs based on Google TV or Android TV platforms in the coming months to help users quickly connect their compatible headphones with their TVs, without going through a step-by-step process.

Smart home devices from Matter will also get Fast Pair support in the coming weeks. It will let you instantly connect Matter-made smart home devices to your network, Google Home, and other accompanying apps.

Google also revealed that it is developing a technology for Bluetooth-enabled headphones to let them automatically switch the audio to the device you’re listening to. For instance, if you are wearing your headphones to watch a movie on your Android tablet and get a call on your phone in the middle of your watch time, the movie will pause and the headphone audio will automatically switch to your Android phone. It will come back to your tablet once the call is disconnected.

Additionally, Google announced that it is bringing spatial audio support to headphones working with Android devices in the coming months. It will allow the headphones to adapt the sound based on head movements, the company said. Notably, Apple has had spatial audio support on its devices for some time.

Google also announced that users will be able to instantly set up a new Chromebook with their Android phone and provide immediate access to information such as Google login and Wi-Fi password, without requiring user to enter them manually on the fresh hardware. The experience will go live later this year, though Google hasn’t yet detailed what all the Chromebook models and Android versions will get the update.

Google is bringing quick setup support for Chromebook users via Android
Photo Credit: Google

Users will also get the feature to unlock and access their Chromebook and Android phone or tablet using a paired Wear OS smartwatch when the devices are close by. This sounds similar to the ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ feature introduced by Apple last year.

Chromebook users will also get the ability in the dedicated Phone Hub section to view and respond to the messages they get on their Android phones directly from the larger screen of their computing device. It will be available later this year, the company said, without describing how it would enable the experience.

The Phone Hub will additionally include Camera Roll to let users access their most recent photos and videos on a Chromebook.

Google also announced expansion of Fast Pair to Windows PCs to let users quickly set up Bluetooth accessories, sync text messages, and share files using the Nearby Share service. The update will first make its way to machines from Acer, HP, and Intel later this year.

Microsoft already has the Your Phone app to allow Android users to access their messages and notifications directly on Windows PCs.

To help users cast music and podcasts they are listening on their phones to louder audio solutions, Google revealed that it is working on bringing Chromecast built-in soundbars and speakers. Bose will be the first brand to offer the new experience on its smart speakers and soundbars in the next few months.

Bose is launching soundbars with Chromecast built-in
Photo Credit: Google

Last month, Google introduced a digital car key functionality that will use phones with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) to unlock the car lock. It will be initially limited to Samsung and Google Pixel phones and will only work with BMW vehicles. However, Google said that digital car keys will work on more Android phones and vehicles later this year.

The Android maker also revealed that it is working on features including asking Google Assistant to warm up and cool down a car, lock and unlock, get information including how much battery is left. These features will first come to select vehicles from Volvo Cars in the coming months, Google said.

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