We recently reported that Roku was ending support for its first 4K streaming player, the Roku 4. However, Roku isn’t the only one. Google has posted a notification on the Chromecast Firmware Update page, that support for its original Chromecast (1st gen) media streamer has ended.
Chromecast was introduced in 2013. Although it wasn’t the first “streaming player” (that honor belongs to Roku’s first player introduced in 2008), it had three things going for it:
- It was about the size of a USB flash drive and could be plugged into any TV that had an HDMI port.
- Instead of built-in apps, users just had to cast app content directly from a smartphone to the Chromecast which then displayed the content on your TV screen. The smartphone also served as the remote control for the Chromecast.
- It had a very affordable $35 price tag.
The original Chromecast was extremely popular, and several generations followed with different physical designs and a 4K UHD version was introduced as 4K UHD TVs become more popular and compatible content started to become available.
The most recent version of Chromecast incorporates the Google TV OS and can be controlled via a provided remote (or by voice). This expands the Chromecast from just being a receiver for content cast from smartphones but also includes built-in apps built on the Android TV platform as well as a dedicated onscreen interface.
However, despite its evolution, up until now the original Chromecast has been fully functional with many still in use.
Although Google has ended support, this classic streaming device option will not become unusable overnight – but as the months go on users will start to see diminished performance. In addition, going forward some apps may no longer work as high-profile streaming services, such as Disney+, Netflix, and others start ending their own support for the once popular streaming device.
Options for Replacing The Original Google Chromecast
However, all is not lost as users certainly have gotten more than $35 worth of enjoyment from their original Chromecast purchase. In 2023, there are dozens of affordable media streamers to replace it with. If you like Chromecast, check out Chromecast with Google TV as mentioned above. If you want to try something different, check out Roku or Fire TV plug-in sticks or boxes.
Tip: Walmart sells a strip-down version of Chromecast with Google TV under its ONN brand name for only $20!
Also, if you are considering the purchase of a new TV, several brands and models of smart TVs have Chromecast, Google TV, Roku, or Fire TV built-in.
Going Forward
As streaming devices get older, you will continue to see support for early models ending as firmware updates can only do so much. With advances in the streaming landscape, hardware updates are also needed at some point which can only be implemented by offering new devices. Streaming has been with us since 2008 at least – that is 15 years!
Related Reading
