Mysterious Android TV dongle shows up in FCC filing
If you can't get enough of the Android operating system, keep an eye out for this new device.
Ausdroid has spotted an application to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a Google-branded Android-TV dongle.
Don't get too excited yet, though: We don't know yet if this is an official Google product. The application is from a company called ShenZhen SEI Robotics, which already claims to manufacture an Android TV 4K HDMI stick, outfitted with Android's logo, rather than Google's. It's unclear where or whether this stick is for sale.
The dongle itself looks very similar to a Chromecast, but unlike its predecessor, which is controlled with the Google Home smartphone app, this would come with a Google Assistant-enabled remote. If the pictures are to be believed, the dongle would support Android TV's recent Oreo update.
Here's what it might look like:
If this device is legit, it would be the first Google-branded dongle to bring Android TV to most smart TVs. Google's most popular smart-TV product, the Chromecast, streams video and audio from your mobile device to your TV. Android TV is currently only available on some Smart TVs and boxes.
With Google I/O less than a month away, many eyes are on Google, and Google-related filings, patents, and leaks. A Google-branded dongle could be SEI Robotics' attempt to get its third-party product on the tech industry's radar.
Google Assistant has proven its worth as a TV companion. Over the past few years, a number of companies, including Sony and Xiaomi have integrated Google Assistant into their devices. Android TV got a sleek new interface with Google Assistant integrated last May.
For the first time, this device would put Android TV in competition with the likes of Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku -- potentially bringing hordes of new customers.
And just in case this is a Google-supported product, keep an eye out for it at Google I/O.
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
