Old Chromecasts with Google TV dongles will also be updated to Android TV 14

Google's recent event wasn't just about shiny new Pixel phones. They also showed off some new Nest devices, including the Google TV streamer that's set to replace the Chromecast. Although the Chromecast is being retired with Google TV, Google promises to keep it up to date with software, including an update to Android 14. Behind the scenes at the event, some Google TV product managers spilled the beans on the Google TV streamer. It's the first device in the US to run Android 14 for TVs, so naturally there were questions about this new software. In particular, people were curious if there were any features in Android TV 14 that wouldn't work on older devices, even after they got the update.

It turns out the answer is yes, although some of the new Android TV 14 tricks won't work on every device. For example, the Thread Border Router functionality requires a Thread Radio, which isn't present on most existing devices. Even if those devices support the Android14 They cannot act as thread border routers for TV updates.

You specifically mentioned that this would be the case for the Chromecast with Google TV. Although it is the Android14 If after the upgrade the device cannot use the Thread features like the new Google TV Streamer because the required parts are simply not there.

Google gives Chromecast with Google TV the Android14 Treatment isn't a big surprise. They promised to continue providing software and security updates even as they announced they were phasing out the Chromecast brand. In fact, the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) is scheduled to receive security updates until the end of September 2025, while the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is covered until the end of September 2027.

The original Chromecast with Google TV (4K) shipped with Android TV 10 and was later upgraded to Android TV 12. The HD model came with Android TV 12 out of the box, so Android TV 14 would be the second major OS upgrade for the 4K model and the first for the HD model. This continued support for Chromecast with Google TV ensures that users can continue to enjoy their devices for years to come.