Google is celebrating a decade of Chromecast by discontinuing the service for first-generation models. Google launched Chromecast back in 2013 as a quick, cost-effective way to get online entertainment directly on your television. It allowed users to watch shows, films, and even listen to music with a simple plug-in device that connected televisions to WiFi. Chromecast was quite popular to begin with, only costing $35 for the “dongle” with 512MB of RAM and 2GB of storage.
Now, Google is subtly phasing out first-generation Chromecast devices. There will be no more software or security updates issued from here on out. Sources report Google issued a subtle heads-up to users who still use the device can expect to notice a change in its performance.
According to Google Chromecast’s support page:
“Support for Chromecast (1st gen) has ended, which means these devices no longer receive software or security updates, and Google does not provide technical support for them. Users may notice a degradation in performance.”
The first generation Chromecast was most recently updated years ago and the discontinuation announcement was posted on April 27th, 2023. Firmware version 1.36.159268 had its last round of bug fixes and other improvements ever.
Other generations of Chromecast aren’t affected by this news and will still continue to work as well as receive updates and technical support. That means second and third-generation models will still be improved (for now) as well as Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio, Cast for Android TV, and Chromecast with Google TV featuring 4k and HD.
For anyone looking to upgrade their first-generation Chromecast to a newer model, check out Google’s Chromecast page to see all the options. The HD model allows streaming content up to 1080p HDR and is priced at $29.99. The 4K HDR version is $49.99 and comes in three colors, though be aware it requires a 4K compatible TV to use. Both offer voice remote with Google Assistant, smart home control, and casting.