After recent issues, Chromecasts will receive a free update to Android 14: here’s what it means.
The devices that Google has stopped manufacturing are updating their operating system from Android 12 to Android 14.
The Chromecast HD and 4K devices are receiving the update to Android 14, which mainly includes security patches and bug fixes. Although the week has been challenging for Chromecast and Chromecast Audio users due to connection issues with the servers that have prevented audio and video casting, this news is positive.
Google has begun implementing the Android 14 update for Chromecast devices with Google TV. Despite the company's decision to discontinue the Chromecast line in 2024 and focus on the new Google TV Streamer, it had promised that older versions would receive the update.
The new version of Android will not drastically change the user experience, as most of the improvements are internal. The main reason for this update is to close potential security gaps that could make the devices vulnerable.
Download sizes vary by device, ranging from 743 to 809 MB, and update the operating system from Android 12 to Android 14. This version includes the January 2025 security patch and typical improvements for system stability. Additionally, support for the "Find My Remote" feature and customization of buttons for the Google TV Streamer remote is added.
This could be the last significant change for the 4K version, which will stop receiving security updates in September 2025. The Chromecast HD, on the other hand, will have update guarantees for two more years, until it concludes in 2027.
