At CES 2024 this past weekend, Google announced several new updates to Chromecast, including TikTok compatibility for scrolling through videos on your TV, Fast Pair support for quicker Bluetooth connections and built-in Chromecast for new LG TVs this year.
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Google’s media streaming dongle, which was first released in 2013 and is built into some devices, allows you to cast video and audio from your smartphone, tablet and computer to your TV, speakers and other devices. All Google TVs, like the latest 2024 Hisense ULED Series and TCL Q Class, come with a built-in Chromecast.
Currently, there are over 220 million monthly active Google TV and other Android TV OS devices.
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The announcement took place at CES, the annual trade show in Las Vegas, that serves as a platform for companies from across various tech industries to showcase their latest products and technologies. Want to read more about CES 2024? Check out the best things we saw at CES 2024 and 20 gadgets from CES 2024 you can buy right now.
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You can now cast TikTok from your phone to Chromecast
Starting today, you can cast TikTok content, including live videos, from your phone and tablet to your Chromecast with Google TV dongle or TV with Chromecast built-in, like the TCL QM8 TV or the Hisense U8K ULED TV.
Read more: The Race to Move Beyond Phone Apps Was in Full Swing at CES 2024
TikTok joins over 3,000 supported mobile apps in allowing you to stream directly via Chromecast from your Apple, Google, Samsung and other compatible phone and tablet.
You need two compatible devices on the same W-Fi network and the most recent app update for this to work.
Google also announced Fast Pair support for TVs
Fast Pair, which allows you to quickly find and connect your nearby Bluetooth accessories to Android devices or Chromebook computers, is expanding to Chromecast with Google TV in the next month and other Google TV devices later this year.
If you want to quietly listen to TV without disrupting others in your home or want to improve your TVs surround sound, you’ll soon be able to use Fast Pair. Simply place your accessory in pairing mode and with a single tap quickly connect your Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
Pair with a tap.
Chromecast is coming to more devices, like LG TVs
In Google’s world, the more devices with Chromecast built-in, the better, especially if you’re someone who casts often and is looking for a new TV. This year, built-in Chromecast is coming to the 2024 LG TV series, including the just announced M4 OLED, which LG claims is the first TV with wireless video and audio transmission at up to 4K 144Hz.
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Chromecast is also coming built-in to LG Hospitality and Healthcare, TVs you’ll find at hotels and hospitals and on cruise ships fitness equipment. If you don’t want to sign in to your third-party streaming app, like Netflix, you’ll soon be able to stream movies and TV shows directly from your phone or tablet to any compatible LG TV.
The LG M4 OLED TV, seen here in a 97-inch size, uses wireless technology.
Stream music and podcasts across devices
If you’re listening to a music or podcast on your phone and want to listen on your tablet instead, Google now allows you to easily cast what you’re listening to on Spotify and YouTube Music from your compatible Pixel phone, like the Pixel 8, to your docked Pixel Tablet, but only when the two devices are near to each other.
For now, this feature only works on compatible Pixel devices.
Google’s other announcements at CES 2024
These aren’t the only things that Google announced at CES this week.
- Google is collaborating with Samsung to merge Quick Share and Nearby Share to create a unified sharing experience on all Android devices.
- LG TVs and select Google TVs and Android TV OS devices can be used as hubs for Google Home, allowing you to add and control Matter devices from your TV.
- Android Auto is getting some upgrades, like sharing real-time battery information with Google Maps (in select EVs). This will allow Google Maps to provide you with an estimated battery level once you arrive at your destination, suggest charging stops and estimate how long it’ll take to charge your car.
These new Android Auto features will come first to the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning in the next few months.
If you’re interested in learning more about CES 2024, check out this impressive LG Transparent OLED TV that transforms into a fish tank and ChatGPT is coming to VW so you can talk to your car.
