Summary
- Wi-Fi 6 support is essential for better streaming in the future.
- Algorithms, suggested content, and AI-generated summaries need improvement.
- An over-emphasize on YouTube needs to be addressed.
Google’s long-awaited and much-anticipated update to its Chromecast finally came along late last year. The aptly-named Google TV Streamerwas a significant improvement on its predecessor, with faster performance and an improved design. However, it was introduced to a fairly crowded streaming device market.
It’s been almost six months, offering plenty of time to reflect on its strengths and weaknesses. There is a lot Google TV Streamer can provide for the dedicated content consumer, but there are some areas it can improve. Here’s what Google needs to fix in order to top Apple TV, Roku TV, and the many others fighting in this saturated industry.
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1 Wi-Fi upgrade will be needed
The spec is not ready for the future
Perhaps the biggest issue with Google TV Streamer is that it doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6. Instead, it’s still operating with Wi-Fi 5, which absolutely can support 4K HDR streaming, but it’s still not as good as the next-generation technology. Wi-Fi 6 is faster. To paraphrase Nigel Tufnel, “Well it’s one more, isn’t it?”
The main reason streamers would want to utilize Wi-Fi 6 is because it operates better in crowded environments. When a lot of people are doing a lot of things on the same network at the same time, a better version is helpful. You might be streaming something in 4K while also on your phone or iPad and if you live with other people, they may all be doing the same thing. Even if you aren’t regularly experiencing issues with buffering at the moment, it’s not unreasonable to think they may occur at some point in the future. It’s especially frustrating because Google’s rivals in Apple TV and Roku TV both offer Wi-Fi 6 and are better ready for the future.
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2 Suggested content needs work
Google should be better at curation
It’s so hard to escape the shows and movies that streamers and studios want you to watch. It’s never so simple that you’ll turn on your TV and actually see something you might want to like that isn’t also something the TV wants you to watch. There’s a very blurred line between a service’s suggested titles and its advertised or sponsored ones, and I think Google is keen on this. There are simply going to be shows that streamers want you to watch, and they can be recommended to you under the guise of being popular or new. However, there is nothing about my viewing history that suggests I am interested in Reacher, including the history of me watching half of the first episode, turning it off, and never returning again.
The algorithm is never going to be that good, in part because it’s designed to emphasize what’s trending and support a streamer’s big titles. Google TV Streamer, with all its emphasis on being the customizable, personalized device of the present and future, isn’t ready to support someone who enjoys a lot of different content across various services. It’s a servant of too many masters in the streaming world.
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3 There is way too much YouTube
Stop trying to make it happen
I appreciate that YouTube exists, and I see that there is value for some users, but it’s not a service I ever want to be casually browsing. There is nothing on YouTube I want to stumble upon or have suggested to me. It’s just not part of my entertainment consumption matrix. I will browse Netflix and others, but I’m not seeking out random clips like it’s some unhinged social media platform.
Google TV really wants me to watch YouTube. With multiple carousels dedicated to YouTube on my home page, Google TV wastes a lot of space and creates a whole part of its system that I will just never go to. I’m not scrolling down to see what YouTube clips I might be interested in, and I’m certainly not clicking on anything; nevermind that the suggested content is also just absurd. That there is also a quick launch button on the remote for YouTube is a complete waste.
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4 Too much clutter, information, and icons
Stop blocking my path to viewing
There is such a thing as too much information, and Google is proving that with all that it tries to cram into a title card. When you click on a show or movie, there is a bunch of stuff that comes up, including an AI-generated description and a section of Google reviews. Both of these need to be addressed.
While I understand the need for summaries of titles, that Google is using artificial intelligence to come up with them is not ideal. Summaries vary in both length and accuracy, and require you to click on a box in order to reveal the entirety of the information. Netflix, meanwhile, tends to get it right in just a sentence of two. The Google Reviews, meanwhile, are completely superfluous. I can’t imagine less of a waste of time than scrolling through hundreds if not thousands of user-submitted reviews to determine whether you are going to watch a title (reading for amusement is something I can see if you’re really bored).
Both of these additions are part of a cluttered interface that just has too much going on for it and can use some cleaning, if not customization. At least all the information about actors, characters, and related titles requires scrolling down; there’s a lot more information there, but I’m happy it doesn’t greet you right away.
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5 Price can be more accessible
The cost is too high for Google TV Streamer
One simple fix Google can make for its streamer is to lower the price. At $100, it’s on par with Roku’s top-tier streaming device and cheaper than Apple TV, but it’s still pricey compared to many other options available, and it lacks the features to command such a cost. Particularly with respect to Apple TV’s comprehensive streaming device that includes a slew of integrations with other products and services, Google needs to add some better features to make the investment worth it.
Part of what you’re paying for is connection to other Google products and the ability to control your smart home. If you don’t have a lot of Google Home services and devices, however, the price definitely isn’t worth it. And even if you do, I’m not sure many people are more inclined to use their TV for operations than their phones. It will need some upgrades and improvement to justify the price tag moving forward, especially as competitors move to better their products as well.
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Google TV Streamer has a lot going on, and much of it is helpful to the average cord-cutter. However, a high price tag and some annoying features make it tough to justify the investment. There’s plenty of time and room for improvement.
