The original Chromecast turned every dumb TV into a smart TV and people loved it. Google tried to bring the same idea to speakers with Chromecast Audio, but it was quickly abandoned. So why are people clamoring for it even today?
Google’s first Chromecast was the best-selling media streaming device in the US in 2014 – with 10 million units sold globally. Of course, Google wanted to bring the same concept to more platforms. Chromecast Audio was the answer, and it might very well be the answer.
How did Chromecast Audio work?
Transfer to speakers before assistants
Chromecast Audio was released in 2015 with the second generation Chromecast for televisions. It cost the same $35 and was very similar to the Chromecast 2n.d Gen, except for its beautiful vinyl record texture and 3.5mm audio jack instead of HDMI output.
The idea behind Chromecast Audio was basically the same as its video counterpart. You simply plug the audio jack into the speaker and now you have a smart speaker that you can stream music and podcasts to. Simple enough, but a few things made it stand out.
First, the 3.5mm audio port was also a mini-TOSLINK jack, which allowed it to be connected to high-end home audio equipment. Importantly, it also supported 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio, which was useful for high-end installations. Chromecast Audio was also the only Chromecast with a DAC.
Perhaps the biggest feature people loved was the multi-room playback and speaker arrays. You can simultaneously stream Spotify to one room and a podcast to another. The speaker arrays allowed multiple Chromecast Audios to be paired together for synchronized stereo sound. That said, you needed something more expensive Sonos systems for.
Google’s own speakers prevent this
“What if we sell the speaker too?”
Google never made a second version of Chromecast Audio. Three years after its first launch, Google lowered the price to $15 for Black Friday and kept it there for three months. Officially, the company said it already has products that people can use for music and podcasts.
These products are, of course, Google Home/Nest speakers and displays. The first Google Home was released a year after Chromecast Audio, but the Home Mini was probably the real nail in the coffin. At just $50, it was almost as expensive as Chromecast Audio, and it had Google Assistant built in.
Chromecast Audio was almost universally praised, but it didn’t fit into Google’s new smart assistant product strategy. You can buy or rent movies from Google on Chromecast, and using Assistant on a smart speaker helped the company gather data, but what good was a cheap dongle that let you stream Spotify to old speakers?
Chromecast Audio continues
People still love these little keys
It’s been more than a decade since Chromecast Audio was released, but for many people, a better product has never come along. Many still use them today and even buy used models on eBay. Here’s some of what people are saying about Chromecast Audio the last couple of years On Reddit:
“I should have bought 20 of them while Google was still making them!”
“Such a useful product, so many people have bought them, and there is almost no competing product. I just don’t understand.”
“Nothing better for twice the price. Years ahead of its time. Simple to use and good sound quality.”
“The pinnacle of music streaming design. They hit the size and price point incredibly. I really wish this product was still being made.”
“I have them all over my house, and if they ever stop working, it’s going to be a bad day.”
Some of these comments are less than a year old. It’s incredible that Google made a device so good that 10 years later it still has no equal, but the company decided to abandon it after one model. Google of course famous for killing crops that people love. We probably won’t see another device like Chromecast Audio.
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