Google says it has stopped manufacturing the audio dongle. Another day, another dead Google product. Today, Google is discontinuing the Chromecast Audio. The company told Android Police it has stopped manufacturing the audio-only version of the Chromecast, so when the current stock runs out, the product will presumably be gone forever.
The official reason Google provided for discontinuing the Audio line was that they already had many products for users to enjoy their music and podcasts. They informed customers the Chromecast Audio would still be supported but no longer manufactured.
And that’s why it’s such a shame Google is discontinuing the dongle today. The company provided The Verge (and Android Police, earlier) with this statement: Our product portfolio continues to evolve, and now we have a variety of products for users to enjoy audio. We have therefore stopped manufacturing our Chromecast Audio products.
What happened to the Chromecast Audio?
We will continue to offer assistance for Chromecast Audio devices, so users can continue to enjoy their music, podcasts and more. While the Chromecast Audio has indeed been discontinued, it is still in stock in most countries’ Google Stores, United States included.
You should be wondering “Is the Chromecast Audio dead?”
Being able to simply ask Google to “play Bill Withers on the stereo” and fill the living room with the soothing sounds of ‘Lovely Day’ certainly made things easier. But now the Chromecast Audio is dead. And I have to hope mine never gives up the ghost.
Also, is Chromecast Audio worth $35?
I can dig a little deeper! I didn’t want to buy completely separate speakers just for streaming audio. And the $349 Sonos Connect is a tough sell. But at just $35, the Chromecast Audio was a tenth of the price. I immediately bought one for myself.
Does Terrence O’Brien still use Chromecast Audio?
In this week’s IRL, Senior Editor Terrence O’Brien sings the praises of Chromecast Audio, which Google killed off in January. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving up on it. On the contrary, it’s now more precious to him than ever. Google has killed a lot of products over the years. Some of them are sorely missed ( Google Reader ).
Does Chromecast make it easier to throw parties?
I don’t throw a ton of parties (I’m an old man and a dad now), but the Chromecast also makes “DJing” a gathering much easier. I can tweak a playlist, take requests and generally just act on my musical whims without having to walk away from my guests.