Google's new Android TV device could launch July 8 — watch out, Roku

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Google’s new Android TV-powered Chromecast might be announced very soon

Google Chromecast Sabrina
(Image credit: XDA Developers)

Google long rumored Android TV player, codenamed Sabrina, could be revealed at the search giant’s Smart Home Summit on July 8. 

This is just speculation by GSMArena and our own thoughts, but from the leaks we’ve seen around the Chromecast 4 Sabrina — likely a second-generation Chromecast Ultra — the streaming dongle device looks ready to go. As such, a smart home showcase would be a very good time for Google to reveal ‘one more thing’ as part of its virtual summit. 

The event itself will be developer-orientated, much like Google’s I/O conferences, with Google showcasing what it has planned for its efforts in the smart home space. This will likely involve showing off new developer tools and discussing how smart home hardware and software makers can create products that integrate with Google’s smart home tech and Home platform. 

With speakers from the likes of LG and IKEA, as well as Google’s executives responsible for partnership, there’s likely to be a lot of talk about third-party integration with Google’s smart home tech rather than new product reveals. But then Google sometimes pulls a tech rabbit out of its hat, so there’s still a chance it could show off the Chromecast Sabrina, especially if it wants to get more services and apps integrated into the streaming device. 

What is the new Android TV Chromecast?

As for the Chromecast Sabrina itself, it’s slated to be Google’s first Android TV device since the Nexus Player. That promised to provide a Chromecast with full access to the Android TV interface, which you can more commonly find baked into some smart TVs. Having access to the full Android TV OS could expand upon the Chromecast’s capabilities, mixing a suite of streaming apps with Android games. 

Furthermore, the Chromecast Sabrina hardware looks rather slick as well, with a smooth stone-shaped dongle paired with a remote that comes with a touch-sensitive panel, not unlike the remote the Apple TV. We’re also expecting the Chromecast Sabrina to support 4K streaming and come with the ability to work with the Google Stadia game streaming service. 

This device could help Google better compete with Roku, which currently tops our list of the best streaming devices with its excellent Roku Streaming Stick Plus and Roku Ultra. And with top TV makers like TCL offering Android TV versions of its TV sets alongside models with Roku baked in, it's clear that Google's TV platform is gaining momentum.

We’ll have to wait a week or so before we here whether the Chromecast Sabrina will be revealed at Google’s Smart Home Summit or not. But either way, we’re expecting to see the next-generation Chromecast sooner than later. 

Roland Moore-Colyer
Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.