Tag: star

Google might have a new Chromecast with Google TV in the pipeline, and its remote seems to house some extra buttons compared to the previous version. Android deep diver Mishaal Rahman dug into the latest Android TV 14 beta release and found a system video showcasing the outline of what looks like a brand-new remote designed to control Google TV software.

The new remote bears a resemblance to the current flat pill-shaped remote, first introduced in 2020, with an iPod-like dial (minus the touch sensitivity) toward the top on the front. But now, the six main control buttons seem to have scattered to make room for what could be a new volume or channel rocker matching the diameter of the face buttons.

The final row of buttons on the new remote, which is in a dip with two smaller buttons including the power button on the current model, now has what looks like a star button on the right side. Rahman points out that this could be a customizable “magic button,” which first showed up in early leaks of the original remote in 2020 but didn’t make it to the final design. The star button might let you create shortcuts to your favorite app.

Google’s added more control options for its products as of late. In January, it added new TV remote controls in the Google Home app, and the company’s new Pixel Tablet released in the summer has handy smart home controls when docked. If this new Google TV remote (and Chromecast) is real, we might hear more about it at Google’s Made by Google event on October 4th.