Goodbye Chromecast built-in, hello Google Cast: it’s coming to TVs and car displays

Chromecast built-in, Google’s streaming service, was discreetly redesigned during the last I/O 2024 and is now known as Google Cast, and the name change signals a new era of Android wireless connections to displays.

Apart from the name, not much has changed since the rebranding, including the ability to move the smartphone screen to a larger monitor.

Goodbye Chromecast built-in, hello Google Cast

Google TV — (Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash)

Two weeks ago during the Google I/O 2024 event, the company introduced a change to Chromecast built-in, in which it said goodbye to the name, quietly replacing it with the so-called Google Cast.

It’s not an unfamiliar term for the company, however, as the Mountain View tech giant previously referred to the experience as Google Cast until it moved to Chromecast built-in in 2016.

On the Chromecast built-in support page, the company officially announced that it will now be called Google Cast. The feature allows you to stream while receiving calls or performing other activities on your device.

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Devices available for Google Cast

The change didn’t improve the experience much, as it still allows Android devices including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Chromebooks, and Windows to move their displays to a larger screen.

Streaming would be done directly to Cast-enabled devices such as smart TVs, speakers, monitors, projectors and in-car infotainment systems, providing greater streaming capabilities.

Apart from the video streaming app, users can also use Google Cast to stream music instead of using Bluetooth connections.

Wireless smartphone transfer

Wireless smartphone streaming has been a joy for users since its introduction and offers ways to more easily manage streaming entertainment by allowing devices to connect more easily. At Google it’s called Chromecast built-in, and its technology has been added to larger displays or infotainment systems to cast content over wireless connections.

On the other hand, its rival, Apple, is known for its proprietary technology that has the same capabilities as AirPlay, but takes its approach a step further. From AirPlay-enabled smart speakers to TVs, cars, and even their own iPads and Macs, users can cast their devices directly to another device as long as they’re on the same network.

Since 2016, Google has changed the Cast option to Chromecast built-in, or simply Chromecast, to provide wireless connectivity that allows you to cast content from a smaller device to a larger display. However, that has now changed as Google has focused more on emphasizing the “Cast” name in the technology for an experience that is compatible with larger display devices.

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