Jordan O'BrienSmart homes are full of technology that could potentially be clogging up Wi-Fi bandwidth, which is why the Google Chromecast is rumoured to be receiving an update later this year with improved Wi-Fi connectivity. This is according to a recent FCC filing, which also suggests the Chromecast could get Bluetooth connectivity.
The Google Chromecast is one of the most popular and affordable ways to make a dumb TV smart, allowing users to play content from hundreds of streaming services just by beaming content from their phones, tablets or PCs to their TV or projector. Google last updated the Chromecast in November 2016 with the Ultra, which added 4K playback, while the second generation of the device was released in September 2016 adding 5GHz Wi-Fi and support for 802.11ac.
According to the FCC filing, the third generation Chromecast will increase the antenna gain on the 5GHz band from 2.1dB to 4dB. This should improve signal strength exponentially, meaning users will be able to enjoy a strong signal on their Chromecast if the device is placed further away from the router. Users could make their Chromecast’s signal even stronger with the addition of a mesh Wi-Fi router, however, such as the Google Wi-Fi.
The biggest addition for the new Chromecast could be Bluetooth connectivity. Technically the existing Chromecast has a Bluetooth chip for setting it up, but Google could finally activate this for wireless music playback. The Google Home already supports Bluetooth connectivity, so it’s not a stretch to think it could come to the Chromecast – although the point of this device is to use the Chromecast protocol, so Bluetooth seems redundant.
Google is rumoured to be planning to announce the third generation Chromecast at an event in October, where it will also supposedly debut new Pixel smartphones and an Amazon Echo Show competitor. Considering the FCC’s confidentiality date expires on October 28, that October announcement date is extremely likely.