- Google has announced that the first-generation Chromecast will be unsupported immediately
- The questions are obvious and are associated with whether you should replace it and, if so, with which one.
- What happens to the dongle when it loses support? In what situations is it still useful?
Google has indirectly announced that the first-generation Chromecast is going out of support immediately. 9to5Google found the information on the Chromecast Firmware Versions and Release Notes page, causing mixed reactions from users. Should you replace it with another? Which would be the best option?
These are probably the two questions you will ask yourself now that you know that the Chromecast that hit the market a decade ago will gradually begin to become outdated in relation to its respective successors.
And we could have foreseen it, because Google is a manufacturer that has us used to downloading services and products when it feels that we no longer need them. Just take a look at the constant closing of various applications.
However, the goodbye of the first Chromecast is especially painful because it’s still working. And good. Surely things will change from now on, but enough to replace it with another? And for which?
Even without support, you can continue using it
The first thing to consider is that even without support, you will still be able to use your Chromecast version 1.36.1529268. We would think that it is the last update that it will have, unless Google decides to launch a definitive one.
The official statement from La Gran G offers some clues about the future of this highly successful gadget.
Support for Chromecast (1st generation) has ended, which means these devices no longer receive software or security updates, and Google doesn’t offer technical support for them. Users may notice a performance degradation
Chromecast Firmware Versions and Release Notes Page
There is no doubt that sooner than later, the first generation Chromecast will not receive updates. This implies that there will be no more security patches, nor optimizations of the operating system that resides in it. We can do without the last but not the first, because they will make you more vulnerable with the months.
In practice, this means that the original Chromecast could start to malfunction. And there will be no solutions. You will only have to try a reset of the device. But if that doesn’t help, it won’t get much better.
Fortunately, if you don’t want to invest in a new Chromecast just yet, smartphone compatibility will still be what we knew. That is to say, Android running Android 8.0 or later and an iPhone running iOS 15 or later.
Should you change it for another? By which?
You don’t necessarily have to rush to buy a next-generation Chromecast, but you do go analyzing it. Our recommendation is that you leave the first-generation Chromecast for your secondary TV or a television installed in your second residence, the one where you only go on vacation. Continuing to use it long-term on your main TV comes with some risks that are best avoided. The most important, that a virus can sneak into it.
The best alternatives to the original Chromecast
Put to invest in a new Chromecast, if the original has been giving you the odd headache, there are two alternatives that you should prioritize, at least in what is the catalog of dongles of Google. Let’s remember that many other manufacturers have this type of equipment available to the customer, such as the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick.
As far as Google is concerned, the most advisable are the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) and with Google TV (4K). They have prices that are around 39.99 euros and 69.99 euros, and the choice will depend on numerous factors, the most relevant being whether your television is compatible with 4K content, and the budget you are willing to spend.
At Amazon, or taking advantage of an occasional discount, you could get them by paying a little less.
What are you going to do now that the first generation Chromecast is out of support?
