- Original Chromecasts have been fixed by a Google update
- Several users had reported that their dongles had stopped working
- Gemini appears on 4K Chromecast with Google TV models
A few days ago, it looked like it was the end of the road for the original 1st generation Chromecast launched in 2013: several users reported that their dongles had stopped working, but it seems that the death of these devices has been greatly exaggerated.
According to Android Authority, Google has now acknowledged the problem with these old Chromecasts and rolled out a fix. “The issue affecting the ability to cast some services to Chromecast devices has been resolved,” Google says.
That doesn’t mean these Chromecasts will suddenly become fully supported again — Google officially stopped issuing updates to the first-generation models in 2023 — but it looks like these devices will be around for a while yet.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that streaming apps must also support the older hardware: Peacock+ is one of the apps you won’t be able to get working on a 2013 Chromecast because it’s no longer compatible.
Now with added Gemini
In more Chromecast update news, Chromecast with Google TV has received a significant Gemini AI overhaul, as reported by Android Headlines and others. For now, it looks like only the 4K model has the update and not the HD version.
While Gemini has already arrived on the Google TV Streamer, it wasn’t clear if the older Chromecast devices would get any AI upgrades: Google has stopped selling them, and it’s not certain whether the hardware can support Gemini.
I’ve now got the Gemini upgrade on my own 4K Chromecast with Google TV. There’s an all-new Gemini screen to explore, which lets you create photos and run voice notifications, just like you can in the Gemini web and mobile apps.
It makes sense for this device to get Gemini since it essentially runs the same operating system as the Google TV Streamer. The older Chromecasts, on the other hand, do not have their own built-in software and are controlled by the casting device.
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