Beyond the Alphabet
Beyond the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world both inside and out of the confines of Mountain View.
On August 2, 2021, Google’s efforts in the consumer market were changed forever. This is when the Pixel 6 was officially confirmed, as Google seemingly grew tired of seeing its own phone being leaked over and over again. After a little over two months passed, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro were announced, with a subsequent release a week and a half later.
Fast forward to today, and Google’s most recent Pixel lineup consists of four slab phones, a foldable phone, a tablet, and a watch. All of which combine to provide the cohesive experience we used to long for. More recently, the Google TV Streamer was thrown into the mix, coming as a replacement for the long-standing Chromecast series.
I don’t think Google’s quite done yet either, as the current Nest Hub will be four years old in March 2025, while the Nest Hub Max will celebrate its sixth birthday in May 2025. I’m still of the mindset that the Pixel Tablet is quietly operating as Google’s replacement for the Nest Hub Max, but I’m still hopeful for a Gemini-powered Nest revamp.
So why is it that the Google TV Streamer is more important than just being a replacement for a Chromecast? Because it’s proof, to me at least, that Google is committed to providing a premium experience across its entire product lineup. It’s no different than what Apple has been doing for years, but just at a little bit of a slower pace.
Not only does the TV Streamer serve up a new way to watch your favorite movies and shows, but it also operates as the central hub for everything in your home. This is thanks to the built-in Thread border router, in addition to supporting the Matter smart home standard. Speaking of which, this also means that you can connect the Streamer to Apple HomeKit, but it’s not something I recommend.
That’s not all, though, as the TV Streamer also introduced a new Smart Home Panel. Essentially, it’s the same interface that you get when opening the Home app on your phone, lending more credence to the whole cohesive ecosystem idea from before. Of course, it’s not some revolutionary idea or anything of the sort, but it is a new (and welcome) addition to the Google playbook.
No, the TV Streamer isn’t as powerful as the latest Apple TV, and yes, it’s probably using a processor that’s about as old as the Nest Hub Max. But as long as Google doesn’t fully embrace the Amazon route, implementing ads at every turn, then we should be fine for the next few years. Playing into Google’s favor is that the TV Streamer offers twice as much RAM and storage compared to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
We’ve reached the point where I feel more comfortable than ever recommending Google’s ecosystem to those who are trying to figure out where to start. Amazon would probably be a close second, not because of the Fire TV or Fire Tablets, but because of the number of smart home companies that operate under its umbrella.
But with the TV Streamer providing Matter and Thread support, you should (eventually) be able to tie those products into Google Home anyway. Better yet, you don’t have to wait for smart accessory makers to implement Matter or Thread support, as you can just use Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi. That’s a story for another day.
The whole idea of providing a premium experience extends beyond even the TV Streamer and Nest Thermostat. I surmise it’s also part of the reason why the Chromebook Plus moniker was born. This alone provides separation between cheap Chromebooks and those that are more performant thanks to Google’s minimum spec requirements.
Leading the pack in this regard is a familiar face, as the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus will soon provide a premium experience at the high end of the space. Google and Samsung worked closely together during the development process. While that’s something we’ve heard before (HP), Samsung and Google’s relationship is just a bit different from the rest.
What I’m really hoping for is the Galaxy Chromebook Plus to lead the way for a new Pixelbook. Sorry, but that’s a drum that I’ll never stop beating until it finally happens. In the meantime, I’ll just sit back and finish watching the rest of this football game on the TV Streamer.
At the heart of your home
The new Google TV Streamer is everything you could want from a premium TV streaming device. It might not be the most powerful device on the block, but it’s definitely one of the more feature-rich solutions.