Google has unveiled Google TV at the event. Google TV is an application that runs on the new Chromecast. As rumored earlier, Google’s latest Chromecast comes with a remote. Most importantly the company claims to have taken content discovery to the next level with Google TV on Chromecast.
To begin with, Google has partnered with major content streaming services including Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and others. Google TV offers a neat interface that offers tailored suggestions across all streaming services. Google has also added a “For You” tab that generates suggestions based on your viewing preferences. That’s not all you also get YouTube and Netflix buttons on the remote.
The Chromecast remote looks minimalistic. It features a large trackpad on the top and a bunch of buttons including that includes ones for Netflix and YouTube. You will be able to browse content from multiple streaming services and play them using the Chromecast remote. Previous generation Chromecasts heavily relied on smartphones and this seems to be a thing of the past with the new Chromecast.
The Google TV user interface looks a lot like Android TV. However, you will not be able to customize the home screen. Instead, it is more focussed on offering content from multiple streaming platforms. In other words, Google TV on the new Chromecast is all about content aggregation and reduced dependency on phone.
New Chromecast with Google TV is priced at $49 and is available starting today. The Chromecast seems to offer a great balance between Android TV and TV Streaming sticks.
