The Chromecast Audio was perfect, and it’s time for Google to bring it back

I don’t often complain about losing a piece of technology. Technology is ephemeral and something better is on the horizon – mostly. However, the Chromecast Audio is one of those edge cases where the technology was near perfect, the use case so obvious, and yet it hit the mark. Google hardware graveyard but too early. It’s been three years now and there’s still no credible alternative to Google’s audio streaming dongle.

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The Chromecast Audio didn’t really launch with a roar when it was introduced alongside the second-generation Chromecast in 2015. In fact, priced the same as the regular video-capable Chromecast, it was drowned out before being unceremoniously killed in 2019.

While Google has never really given a reason to kill the Chromecast Audio, it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. First off, the streaming dongle didn’t make much sense at a comparable price Google Nest Mini speaker exists. In 2019, Google’s focus was entirely on pushing smart speakers, and the Nest speaker lineup was better positioned to bring the Google Assistant to the mainstream. Sure, the two products served very different users, but it was clear that Google should push the wider market with its all-in-one smart speaker.

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This was also the time when Google fought Sonos over streaming patents, including those controlling volume levels across groups of speakers. While those patents certainly had an impact on Google’s wider speaker portfolio, they specifically affected the Chromecast Audio — a product designed to let you get the Sonos experience on a budget. But that lawsuit has long since been settled, and the time has come for the Chromecast Audio to make a comeback. And if the latest rumors anything to do with it, it looks like the Chromecast Audio is poised for a comeback.

The smart speaker market is starting to get saturated. In fact, some estimates suggest that the smart speaker market is down 5% year over year. That makes sense. Smart speakers have a long life cycle and, coupled with rock bottom prices and frequent sales, a significant portion of potential users have already bought into them. The product category also doesn’t benefit from annual upgrades, so why would a customer upgrade?

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Music streaming ranks as the best use case for smart speakers. And as high-resolution audio becomes commonplace in some of the best music streaming services, there is room for premium audio quality. But maybe not as most brands imagine.

that of Amazon Echo Studio is designed to serve the audiophile market, but is far from the most popular product in the Alexa range. Apple, too, has killed the well-received full-size Homepod and replaced it with the Mini. The Google Home Max was Mountain View’s game in the high-end audio segment, but failed to gain traction due to its nosebleed price.

There is a common thread running through all three products: price. Audiophiles understand the value of good speakers and premium audio quality, but prefer to spend on traditional high-end speakers to achieve that.

The Chromecast Audio was and remains the perfect gateway for users who want to combine the convenience of streaming audio with the quality of their own high-end equipment. There isn’t much that Google needs to improve on in terms of hardware to appeal to audiophiles as well. The dongle already offers optical output to hook up your own high-end DAC, but if Google wants to amp things up a bit it might consider supporting new-age formats like MQA. A cheap and simple dongle like this would fit perfectly in today’s hi-fi streaming world.

The Cast protocol is almost perfect for streaming

Aside from the hardware, the Chromecast Audio was also the perfect dongle for audio streaming thanks to the Cast protocol, which comfortably combines both offline media and streaming services. For audiophiles with a large library of local music, the protocol makes it trivial to stream it to one or more speakers throughout the house. It also integrates beautifully across the length and breadth of Android apps. Whether it’s your favorite podcast app or a radio streaming service, casting is always supported.

Conversely, alternatives such as Alexa-equipped speakers just can’t. Instead, you have to enable skills for each individual service. Playing your own offline music tracks is often an incredibly frustrating experience on Echo speakers too. Meanwhile, the homepod is basically a no-go for anyone outside the Apple ecosystem.

With the patent lawsuit settled, the Chromecast Audio could be the perfect whole-home audio product for those who want audio quality higher than smart speakers and the freedom to stream audio content from any source.

I personally have bookshelf speakers in almost every room of my apartment. So far I’ve hooked up a few to Raspberry Pis as network streamers, but the experience is far from ideal. I’ve dabbled with the idea of ​​buying the Sonos Port for better whole-home audio, but the exceptionally high price makes it a no-go for me. A revamped Chromecast Audio, on the other hand, would be the perfect solution for blasting audio throughout my home when I’m throwing a party or just making my morning coffee.

It’s been three years since Google killed the Chromecast Audio, but demand for the product hasn’t waned. In fact, resale prices have been steadily increasing, hitting close to $120. That’s three times the original price of the product. Sure, you can’t take eBay prices as a true measure of demand, but it’s very clear that in the broader streaming market, there’s room for the dongle to make a comeback if people are willing to spend that much money.