Google TV Streamer may be great, but your older Chromecast is still getting a huge free upgrade

When Google announced its new streaming device, it also confirmed that it is retiring the Chromecast name and products for good.

The Google TV Streamer will be its only device going forward, with Chromecast with Google TV dongles only sold while stocks last.

However, existing owners of a Chromecast with Google TV device, whether than be the original 4K model or the more recent HD variant, needn't panic just yet – the company still plans to update them both with new features.

It is being reported (by Android Authority and others) that the operating system that'll arrive with the Google TV Streamer – Android 14 for TV – will also be available as an over-the-air update for Chromecast.

Some of the software's new bells and whistles might not translate – such as the Thread border router functionality, which requires hardware found inside the new set-top-box – but many others will be available to existing users.

It is also claimed that Google will continue to support its Chromecast devices for at least a further year – three years in the case of the HD model.

Its commitment is for security updates though, so the next major OS upgrade may well be their last.

Android Authority hasn't revealed a timescale for the rollout of Android 14 to Chromecast, but it does say that the confirmation came from Google itself – a product manager explained that the update is in "company plans".

The new software will add a picture-in-picture mode for the first time, along with a native "find my remote" feature. This may require the all-new voice remote that launches with the Google TV Streamer, although that will be available to purchase separately and is backward compatible.

It is also said that the new user experience will boot faster than the existing Android 13 for TV. Storage use is also reportedly improved.

As we get closer to the launch of the $99 TV Streamer (24 September in the US), we should also see some great deals on the outgoing Chromecast with Google TV models.

By the sounds of it, they'll be among the best streaming devices for a while yet.