It’s possible that Google’s next streaming device could detect when you enter a room and let you communicate with it without using the remote. Alphabet’s (GOOGL) Google is developing a new generation of its Google TV Streamer with built-in microphones, presence sensing, a faster processor and additional storage, according to 9to5Google, citing a source familiar with the company’s plans. The microphones would allow users to issue “Hey Google” commands directly to the streaming device rather than first picking up its remote. When no one is actively viewing the television, presence detection might give it a new purpose. Similar technology can automatically show pictures, the time, the weather, and other ambient data when someone enters a room. Google has not disclosed the gadget, its cost, or the anticipated debut date. However, the claimed additions suggest that this is more than just a standard CPU update. Google TV viewers can already ask conversational questions, find entertainment, and receive assistance with topics unrelated to television using Gemini. Google’s next streamer may resemble an AI-powered smart-home hub that just so happens to be located underneath the TV if it has microphones and the capacity to identify people in the vicinity. Google’s TV Streamer could stop depending on the remote As Chromecast’s replacement, the current Google TV Streamer debuted in 2024. It was already a significant change. The $99.99 gadget was designed to sit prominently next to the TV and serve as a smart-home hub with Matter connectivity and a Thread border router, rather than hiding behind it like Chromecast. Google TV users can control compatible lights, thermostats, and cameras and see video doorbell notifications without pausing their show. Google’s purported successor appears to extend that approach. Microphones that could receive “Hey Google” requests from across the room would be housed in apertures on the gadget itself, according to 9to5Google. Additionally, the business apparently plans to add proximity detection, a faster CPU, and more storage than the 32 gigabytes that the present Streamer has. The remote is expected to retain a similar design but gain two additional shortcut buttons alongside dedicated YouTube and Netflix controls. Those aren’t equally important upgrades. Apps should load more smoothly with additional storage and processing capability. Presence sensors and microphones can completely alter how users engage with the device. Related: Google’s AI chip could become a $75 billion business To communicate with Gemini on the current Streamer, users must push the microphone button on the remote. Gemini could be reached from across the room without first locating anything thanks to the microphones included within the box. Because of this, Google’s television plan resembles its smart-speaker strategy more and more, with the exception that the AI now has the largest screen in the house. Gemini is already turning Google TV into more than television In November 2025, Google began distributing Gemini to the Google TV Streamer. Gemini can handle conversational requests rather than just simple instructions. When a couple is looking for something to watch, they may explain their two different preferences and ask Gemini to recommend a film that suits both of them. Someone who doesn’t remember how the previous season of a program ended might ask for a recap. The assistant may also answer inquiries unrelated to entertainment. Google says Gemini on TV can explain school topics, help with recipes, and walk users through DIY projects using TV videos. Google has increased such capacities even further in 2026. Gemini may provide more detailed visual responses, sports-related information, and in-depth voiced analyses of challenging topics. Additionally, Google TV can create pictures and videos straight on the TV, search users’ Google photographs libraries, and convert photographs into slideshows. This feature increases the significance of the reported microphones. The TV is now Gemini’s home, but the remote is still the main means to access it. Far-field microphones may eliminate that barrier. Another layer is added by presence detection. Instead of waiting for someone to pick up a remote, the TV may respond when they walk into the room. TCL has already used presence sensing on a Google TV to activate its Google Photos screensaver and show information such as weather and the time when someone approaches, according to 9to5Google. Put those pieces together and Google’s long-term opportunity becomes clearer. Gemini, Google Photos, entertainment, and connected-home controls all appear on the TV, which increasingly reacts to its surroundings. Google may be making the remote much less important LUDOVIC MARIN / Getty Images Google’s smarter TV gadget could come with a price problem There is one clear issue. Google has already significantly increased the price of its existing streaming gadget. The Google TV Streamer originally launched for $99.99 in September 2024. Google raised the U.S. price by $50 to $149.99 on Aug. 31, citing rising component costs. According to 9to5Google, that represented a 50% price increase for a device that had previously been discounted during holiday sales. The current 4K Streamer, which has 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, is still listed on Google’s store for $149.99. For whatever happens next, it presents an intriguing challenge. The next model would be more capable with a quicker CPU, greater storage, microphones, and presence detection. However, they could also make it more difficult to market Google’s streamer as a low-cost replacement for an outdated TV. Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro, for example, was selling for around $60 in September while offering Google TV and many of the basic capabilities users expect from a modern streaming box. Google, therefore, needs the next Streamer to justify something more than streaming. This might be the reason why the purported improvements focus more on AI and smart homes than just video quality. More Google: Google is making a change in November that might catch Gemini users off guard Google set to challenge Meta Muse in the Agentic AI race Google just disclosed something troubling about its AI There are many less expensive alternatives to watch Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ on a television than a $149 streaming box. A room-aware Gemini gadget that manages the home, responds to inquiries, locates pictures, and simultaneously streams Netflix is a different story. The significance of Google’s next hardware update may depend on this difference. For years, the business has been putting Gemini on watches, phones, vehicles, and TVs. The next phase might be more subtle thanks to built-in microphones and proximity tracking; users would not even need to intentionally reach for Gemini. They may just enter the living room and strike up a conversation. Related: Google’s $180 Fitbit Edge makes a bet on smartwatch fatigue
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