Still Using Your Chromecast? Google Says It Will Live On Amid Fears

Still Using Your Chromecast? Google Says It Will Live On Amid Fears | PCMag

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Google has pushed back against reports that it was axing security updates for the vast majority of its Chromecast devices—barring one exception—which circulated earlier this week.First launched in 2013, Google’s Chromecast lineup allowed users to stream video, music, and games from their phone, tablet, or computer to a TV using a small portable dongle inserted into the TV’s HDMI port. It competed with products like Amazon’s Fire Stick and the Apple TV. The device reportedly sold 10 million units by 2014.According to an update to the support page for Google Nest devices, first reported by Android Authority earlier this week, the following devices would no longer receive support updates: You May Also Like

Chromecast (1st gen)Chromecast (2nd gen)Chromecast AudioChromecast UltraChromecast (3rd gen)In contrast, Chromecast with Google TV (4K), which debuted in 2020 and offered users a 4K streaming experience with a remote, was to continue to receive security updates. But in a later statement to 9to5Google, the tech giant said it is not cutting “critical security updates” for Chromecast devices, and instead that the “support article in question incorrectly indicated deprecation of software support for legacy Chromecast devices.”“Google is not ending support for Google Chromecasts, and the support page has since been updated with the latest and most accurate information,” said the spokesperson.In addition, despite the recent fears of some users, Chromecast devices are still set to remain functional for the time being. Earlier this week, numerous Reddit users reported that their first-gen Chromecast stopped being able to cast from popular apps such as Chrome, YouTube, and Paramount+. This raised concerns that Google had intentionally killed off the devices to force upgrades. Recommended by Our Editors The Best Media Streaming Devices for 2026 20 Things You Didn't Know Your Google Chromecast Could Do Got a Google TV? It's Getting an AI Upgrade (and YouTube Shorts)

However, Sahana Mysore told Ars Technica earlier this week that Google didn’t kill the devices. Mysore chalked the reports up to “a technical issue [that] temporarily disrupted casting for some Gen 1 Google Chromecast users.”“Our team quickly identified the root cause and resolved the issue,” she added.The Chromecast lineup was replaced by the Google TV Streamer in 2024, now Google's only first-party Google TV media hub, which includes some features powered by Google’s Gemini AI bot.

About Our Expert Will McCurdy Contributor Experience I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs. Latest By Will McCurdy Apple May Be Preparing Mysterious New Over-Ear Headphones Meta Joins Snap, TikTok, YouTube in Settling Social Media Addiction Case Texas AG Sues What­sApp for 'Lying About Pri­va­cy' Companies Using Anthropic's Mythos AI Uncover 10K+ Serious Software Bugs First VPN Seized by European Authorities Over Organized Crime Links More from Will McCurdy Read Full Bio

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