A new pendant-shaped streaming device running Android TV that shares a lot of similarities with the current Amazon Fire TV has just passed through FCC approval. The device, carrying FCC ID number 2AOVU-SN5B6AD, is made by Chinese manufacturer Shenzhen SEI Robotics Co., Ltd and was first spotted by Ausdroid. The Google branding on both the device and remote heavily suggest that it will be the successor to the Nexus Player and sold by Google.
The new Android TV streaming device carries the same Google “G” logo on its front as is found on the latest Chromecast. The “G” logo appears again on the device’s remote. Also on the remote is Google’s voice assistant logo where you’d find a microphone icon on past Android TV remotes. While this device could just be made by a company not associated with Google that is trying to cash in on Google’s branding, Google does hand off manufacturing of some of their first-party products, such as the Google Bud headphones, to a similar Shenzhen-based company.
Under the hood of the new streamer is an Amlogic S905X CPU with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. This is the same CPU found in the Mi Box released in 2016. The current Fire TV 3 uses the Amlogic S905Z, which is a newer version of this same CPU.
The Android TV pendant will have similar specs to the Mi Box, which includes 4K playback at 60fps and dual-band 802.11ac WiFi. There’s no mention of HDR support, but it’s probably safe to assume it will at least support HDR10. The FCC documents specifically mention that it will run the Android Oreo version of Android TV.
If this is indeed Google’s new official Android TV hardware and the successor to the Nexus Player, it will surely disappoint those who were hoping for something to compete with the likes of the NVIDIA Shield TV. With hardware that is about 2 years old, this Android TV pendent’s biggest hope for success would be an aggressively low price, which is unknown at this point.
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Androidtv box from Google, awesome! But seriously what’s with the pendan to design lately? I want a set top box!
The big ugly pendant design lets them put in a larger WiFi antenna for better connectivity.
Would make a nice companion to my Fire TV 2 for the bedroom if it’s priced right.
This is good news for AndroidTV no matter what the form factor. I just ordered a Mi Box, because I miss my Nexus Player.
Unfortunately it’s kind of a weakling so it will def disappoint Kodi and Plex users. Hopefully it will only cost $39. That’s really the only thing which would make it attractive. And based on those old specs that’s really only about as much as it’s worth. Even then why would you buy it vs a Fire TV which fundamentally has better performing apps and a lead on the Art home. Shield owner here btw. The Fire TV apps seem to get more updates and also seem to perform better.
The other thing to mention is that the latest Android TV btw is a a bit of a mis mash with not fantastic 3rd party integration. The current older more stable version of Android TV is better from a UI perspective right now. Also let’s hope it comes with Amazon Prime video and Hardware mpeg2 decoding.
It would be nice if Google would finally have a “current” Android TV box again and if they actually put their full weight behind making sure 3rd parties supported it.
Why would this disappoint Plex users?
Why would we need hardware MPEG2 decoding?
I’m guessing MPEG2 to play OTA broadcasts using a USB tuner or HD Homerun network connected tuner. My Shield has no issues with my HD Homerun tuner, but the app on my Fire TV 2 looks like garbage last time I checked. Since then I’ve subscribed to PS Vue so I don’t really watch OTA broadcasts anymore, so it might look better.
I would buy one because my FireTV devices don’t have YouTube or YouTube TV which are a critical part of my viewing. I have a MiBox but it is poorly supported. Google needs an affordable Android TV device that can compete at the low end with the FireTV. At $180 the Shield may be great at what it does but is only going to have a niche market.
You can easily go to YouTube.com on either the firefox or silk browser and have the same YouTube experience.
aggressively low price and google do not go in the same sentence
the chromecast ultra is $70 and i can get a mi box for $60
Why?
Google has released relatively low priced stuff in the past (the original CC and the Nexus phone line), they have competition from Amazon which could give them a reason and the chipset has likely gone down in price over time (I regularly see ‘4K’ Android boxes in this price range).
If this is an official Google product, they could be making it as the successor to the Chromecast since they could just integrate CC support into the OS, pleasing both those who prefer to cast and those who prefer to run everything on the device.
Chromecast is already built-in Android TV as Google Cast Receiver.
Except I want a actual remote to control streaming and also the Chromecast drains my phone battery even though many say it does not with is total BS watching a 1 hour program causes the phone with the screen off to drain about 4%.
And I’ve read comments from people who prefer casting.
In theory, an ‘Android TV Stick’ would be able to please both types of users and it would be a good move of Google’s part IMO.
The FCC removed the photos of this device today via a court order from Google. This means one of 2 things; either it is an official Google certified device and an NDA was violated OR more ominously,
it is an illegally branded clone not connected to Google at all. Looking at the pictures the Google logos on the device and remote look a bit sketchy but that’s just my opinion.
i think the whole thing is sketchy
it looks worse than the chinese CC gen 2 clones you get on aliexpress
look at the power brick FFS it looks like it 3D printed and left next to heater , look at the power brick of the GH mini
no way this is an official device
Looks like it’s legit
“It looks like someone was a little slow with their confidentiality request! The FCC listing has been updated with a confidentiality letter and the photos and the manual have been taken down. It’s hard to see this as anything other than a sign the listing was legit. (Thanks to anonymous for sending this in.)”
The more I think about this, the more I want it. The 2nd Gen fire stick is awesome, but the Fire box on a string is terrible. This device doesn’t have a high bar to climb to win the 4k pendant race.
I don’t one bit about Kodi or Plex if I want to watch local content I pop in a disc and watch it. So this device looks interested. The Android TV interface is cleaner than the ad ridden Fire TV interface I just hope they port over the Amazon Prime Video app.
If this is a first hand Google product, it’s doubtful it will have Amazon Prime, at least officially.
Any MiBox users out there? I just bought one again and it’s been a while. I was able to find the apk for Prime Video someone posted from the Nvidia Shield. It installed easily and actually worked, mostly. It had the old, plain interface that Roku’s app still has. Last night I opened the app and somehow it had gotten an update to the same interface that is on my AppleTV and I was able to watch complete shows with only a few very slight stutters. I figure it works about 98%. Anybody else with this experience and do you know how the app might have updated? I didn’t find any post on the web about the Shield itself getting an update. The app in the Play Store will not install. I guess I shouldn’t be complete shocked at the update, but it was definitely unexpected.
This kind of UI refresh comes from the Amazon server.
It also occurs with the Netflix app.
It doesn’t have to have an app update.
Thanks! I guess it possible the Shields have had this interface for a while and that the Amazon service found my install and updated the interface. I’m just happy to have it.