Google Chromecast 2 is finally reaching Australia after nearly five months of its international release.
Google announced the second-generation of its streaming device, Chromecast, in late September 2015. The Chromecast 2 has a sleek disc-shaped design and is faster than its predecessor.
"The new Chromecast has a fresh design, and is easier to plug into TVs with crowded ports. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards and adapts more easily to changing Wi-Fi conditions in your home, so you get higher quality video with less buffering. Most importantly, we added two new colors," says Google.
Google Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio, which was launched in September 2015 as well, have made way to the shelves in many regions but there is no official word for the launch of the dongles in Australia.
According to Ausdroid, Australians will not have to wait for long as the new Chromecast 2 and the Chromecast Audio will start shipping in the country within one or two weeks.
"The dongles are both listed in the JB Hifi inventory system, with the launch expected to come within the next couple of weeks," says Ausdroid. "The SKU's are in the system, with JB using 937278for the Chromecast 2 and 937282 for Chromecast Audio - both of which unfortunately do not show up in a search on their site."
JB Hifi has listed the Chromecast 2 for $59, which is higher than the price of the existing Chromecast that is priced at $49 in Australia.
Ausdroid also reported that another online retailer Kogan has also listed the second-generation Chromecast in Yellow, Black and Coral colors. Kogan has also advertised the Chromecast 2 and the Chromecast Audio for $59.
"The Chromecast Audio and Coral/Yellow Chromecast 2 are listed as 'Coming Soon' but the Black Chromecast 2 is listed as able to leave their warehouse in 1-2 weeks," says Ausdroid.
Google Australia has not officially confirmed the arrival of the Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio in the country. However, the listing of the dongles on the two websites suggests that these will be released sooner than later.
In July 2013, Google released the first-generation Chromecast and it attracted a large number of people who wanted to cast a browser window on their TV at an affordable price. In May 2015, Google revealed that it sold more than 17 million units of Chromecast across the world, which shows at the high popularity of the device.
Chromecast 2 is expected to increase the reputation of the streaming device even more and availability in Australia may spike the sales of the dongle.
