Google is Making Deals with TV Manufactures for Chromecast Integration

| February 26, 2016 | Streaming Hardware | No Comments

chromecast-vizio

Have you ever wondered why your television needs so many attachments? You’ve got an Apple TV, a Chromecast dongle and quite possible a Amazon Fire TV, each of which need their own HDMI slot, television input and power source. Isn’t there a better way to get this done? Google thinks so and that’s why they’ve been actively seeking deals with television manufacturers to integrate their Chromecast device directly into your shiny new TV set. A new generation of cord cutting millennials almost expects that apps like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go be integrated into any new hardware they purchase. This has been a long time coming.

To that end Vizio, one of the largest television manufacturers in the world, has just inked a deal with Google that will put Chromecast into a new line of televisions. No details were given at this time so we’re left with a few questions.

  • Chomecasts cost about $35, will this integration increase the TV run more than that?
  • When will we see the first Chromecast enabled Vizio television?
  • Will this literally be a Chromecast that functions and feels exactly like the current UX or will it be something different?

Apps on televisions isn’t anything new. Samsung, Sony and even Vizio all have their own “smart” televisions. But the problem here is that each manufactuerer is responsible for the software on their TV meaning each app functions differently from one device to the next and they all require various levels of upkeep to maintain. If Chromecast were to become the industry standard on smart televisions then only one app would need to be created for a whole slew of televisions.

Google is also said to be talking to other television manufacturers about integrating Chromecast. We’ll see if they can get marketshare fast enough to make people question exactly why they need an Apple TV or Roku device when something similar is built right into their TV already. I know my wife will be awaiting this answer as she struggles to change inputs between our multitude of devices connected to the TV. Hopefully this means one or two fewer annoyances in that respect.