King Chromecast: Google's device was the highest selling streamer of 2015

By Parker Hall March 9, 2016

Chromecast 2015 — Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Google’s Chromecast was the most popular streaming device sold last year, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics. The device’s sales made up 35 percent of the 42 million streaming devices that were purchased in 2015.

With such strong sales last year, Chromecast remains the leader in the streaming device market when it comes to sales, followed by Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV, with other less popular devices making up a little over 10 percent of the total devices on the market.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily make the Chromecast the most popular device to actually use. Many users purchase the device because it is so cheap (a Chromecast device starts at $35 dollars), only to turn to higher-end devices such as Apple TV and Roku when they decide to dive deeper into straight-to-TV streaming.

“The device’s portability and low price at just $35 has made it an impulse purchase for many and household ownership of multiple Chromecasts is not uncommon,” said Strategy Analytics director of connected home devices David Watkins, “However, the mobile device is not necessarily the center of the universe for everyone and devices such as Apple TV, Roku and the Amazon Fire TV continue to prove popular with those looking for a more traditional remote-based and UI driven TV experience”

In terms of other threats to Chromecast’s dominance, all streaming device makers face serious impositions in the form of Smart TV manufacturers, whose sales amounted to 54 percent of all connected device shipments in 2015, according to the report.

Some companies, like Roku, are partnering with TV manufacturers like TCL to integrate their software into smart TVs, thus solving the competition issue. Google’s device hasn’t officially done so yet, though there have been rumors, and Google’s Android TV is already in TVs from Sony.

But low cost and easy installation mean that the Chromecast is still a good option for those looking to instantly transform their streaming possibilities at home — and that’s likely the reason it sold so well in 2015.

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Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…

Audio / Video

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We've been pretty impressed with Bose's collection of smart speakers and soundbars, especially their ability to connect seamlessly to Apple products via AirPlay 2. But because these products haven't included Google's Chromecast Wi-Fi audio streaming protocol, Android users have gotten the short end of the streaming stick. On February 8, that changed, thanks to a software update delivered by Bose through its Bose Music app that adds Chromecast built-in. The update is available to those who live in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.

The news that Bose products were slated to get this update initially came from Google in January 2022 as part of its virtual Better Together with Android and Beyond presentation at CES 2022, which included improvements to Google Fast Pair and other Android-specific advances. Bose was the only company Google mentioned by name, but it promised to also bring Chromecast built-in "to more brands."

Audio / Video

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Chromecast with Google TV remote.

Over the past few days, rumors have begun to swirl that Google intends to launch a new version of its Chromecast with Google TV streaming media dongle. And according to a report from Protocol, which cites "a source with close knowledge of the company’s plans," this new model will be aimed at folks who don't need or want 4K resolution, which would make it a more affordable, 1080p (Full HD) device.

Given that Google's main competitors in the streaming device space -- Amazon and Roku -- both sell inexpensive 1080p models, it makes a lot of sense that Google would want to make a product for these same buyers. As Protocol notes, a cheaper Chromecast with Google TV would also help the company penetrate emerging markets where people simply don't have as much money to spend on gadgets, like India.
Specifications
Google still sells a 1080p version of its original Chromecast dongle for $30, but that device isn't based on the newer Google TV software and doesn't ship with its own remote. Given that this Chromecast is now more than three years old, it would make sense to retire it in favor of a similarly-priced Google TV-powered unit.

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Google’s Digital Wellbeing widget hits Android devices soon

Google Pixel 6 Pro clock widgets. Credits: Google official.

A Digital Wellbeing widget will soon arrive to Android devices to help users keep a track of screen time and how much time they spend on Google apps. While the exact release date is currently unknown, it is expected that this widget will eventually be released to all Android devices. Notably, this is a feature that's already available for iPhone users since iOS 12, so Google is very late to the party by comparison.
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Google's Digital Wellbeing app received a widget that manages time spent on apps. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
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