With a recent release of new Google Chromecast apps, Google has also announced they have big plans for expansion of their streaming media device in 2014. The latest news arrives as the dongle, which plugs into a TV’s HDMI port, is among the hottest selling holiday gifts of the 2013 Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season.
According to a Dec. 15 report from Wired of the UK , the Google company plans to release an open SDK, as well as international expansion and new devices as part of their Google Chromecast system in 2014. The VP of product management for Google, Mario Queiroz noted that people are going to be “pleasantly surprised” by what the expansion includes.
It’s being said that worldwide expansion will help encourage international app developers to bring their apps to the Chromecast. The end goal is to have various electronics manufacturers build the Chromecast right into their devices, with Quieroz saying “serious conversations” have taken place with many of the major players.
The news arrives several days after Google announced ten new apps that are compatible with the Chromecast. The Motley Fool reports that these new apps include VEVO, Songza, BeyondPod, RedBull.TV, PostTV, Revision 3, Viki, Plex, Avia and RealPlayer Cloud. The new apps involve various types of content ranging from music to videos to streaming movies. Of note, Avia may be a game changer for many, as it will allow for casting of all media from mobile devices or any local DLNA-enabled device, but will cost $2.99 for users to unlock the Chromecast support.
The news of the brand new apps and expansion certainly opens a range of possibilities for Chromecast owners. The dongle is currently a top seller at Amazon.com, ranking at #1 in the Televisions & Video category of Electronics, as well as #1 in Streaming Media Players on the site. Other devices that handle similar aspects of media streaming include Roku and Apple TV. The Chromecast currently sells for $35 regular price, but might be found for a discount as holiday shopping season continues.
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