The first generation Chromecast from 2013 is no longer supported

Google has stopped supporting the Chromecast from 2013. This first generation Chromecast will therefore no longer receive updates, which raises questions about the security of the device.

Google Chromecast

Google’s Chromecast has had updates for no less than 10 years, but they didn’t come very often. The latest firmware version (1.36.159268) dates from November 2022 and there was no firmware update for years before that. So it’s not that Google constantly released updates for the device, but it did do the necessary to ensure that the gadget was properly supported.

That era is now coming to an end: the security of Chromecast from 2013 is at stake now that updates for the device are no longer issued. Of course it’s always a shame when that happens, but ten years is impressive, especially for a device that only costs a few tenners.

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No more support

Google writes about ending support: “Chromecast (1st generation) support has ended, which means these devices will no longer receive software or security updates, and Google will not provide technical support for them. Users may notice a performance drop.”

The first generation Chromecast looked very different from how we know the device now. Back then it was mainly a kind of USB stick, black with the letters Chrome plus the logo printed on it. The device offered 512 MB of RAM and 2 GB of storage memory. Two years later, the Chromecast appeared that looked more like a disc, followed by the Ultra Chromecast with an emphasis on audio in 2016 and in 2018 the third generation Chromecast, which has the design as we know it today. The device now has Google TV on it, making it less Cast.

Fun detail: Chromecast’s 2013 model number was H2G2-42, a nod to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything). did you have it? Or do you have it? Leave it now in the comments.