The next “budget” smartphone from Google will be arriving in about a week’s time and there are a lot of reasons to be excited for it. It’s going to bring a new design compared to the mainline phones (with almost no camera bump) and with a lower price tag, it’ll be the best way to get all of that photo and software goodness for a lot less.
There’s something to make the deal even better. As always, with major smartphone launches, there’ll be something to get as a treat if you buy the phone early enough. In the case of the Google Pixel 9a, it won’t be Pixel Buds or a power bank—those are overdone. It’s possibly going to be the Google TV Streamer.
Certain Markets Could See the Google TV Streamer as a Free Gift for Buying the Pixel 9a
It’s nice to get accessories discounted or for free when you buy a phone. It saves you some money in the event that you were already going to buy one of those. However, after some time, it can get boring seeing smartwatches, earbuds, and cases. Where are the more exciting free gifts that can be added in as a bonus? Google must have been thinking the same thing, since it seems that the upcoming Pixel 9a could have a sweet option.
According to Roland Quandt, via Bluesky, certain regions selling the Google Pixel 9a are going to have the new Google TV Streamer bundled in as a gift, seemingly at no extra cost. According to the tipster, it seems like this is going to be limited to markets in the Eurozone (worth €119 in that region), and simultaneously, will only be available when purchasing the device from specific Google partners.
When you think about it, this doesn’t necessarily mean that markets outside Europe won’t be getting a similar deal. However, it does confirm the case for European markets. We might need to wait for the actual launch to come through before we see if the US gets a similar offer. That’d be nice, especially as the Google TV Streamer is a new device and a lot of people would like a cost-effective means to get their hands on it.
The Google TV Streamer Deservedly Puts the Chromecast to Rest
In case you somehow missed it, Google has put the Chromecast to sleep and has replaced it with the more modern Google TV Streamer. Fair enough, it isn’t as compact and hidden as the Chromecast was (perhaps intentionally), but it uses its larger build for much better hardware.
Compared to the Chromecast, you get a faster chip to power Google TV, double the RAM in the Chromecast, and storage that’s been boosted to 32GB of storage. For some folks who have fast wired home internet, the ethernet port alone could be a reason to buy this device.
Even cooler is the fact that the Google TV Streamer can serve as a hub for your smart home, thanks to the Thread router and support for Matter. With Google Home built into the OS, you’ll be able to control various devices around the house from the comfort of your sofa.
