Google has recently ended support for the original Chromecast, a popular streaming stick that was launched in 2013 at an affordable price of $35.

Multiple Google support pages now display a notice informing users about the end of support. According to the notice, the first-generation Chromecast will no longer receive software or security updates, and “Google does not provide technical support for them. Users may notice a degradation in performance.”

The termination of support seems to have taken effect at the end of April, as indicated by the last update made to a support page listing firmware versions for different Chromecast models. While the first-generation Chromecasts may not stop working right away, their performance is likely to deteriorate over time as the surrounding ecosystem evolves and progresses.

Initially, the original Chromecast gained popularity due to its compact size, resembling a key, and its ability to connect to an HDMI port on a TV. This enabled users to stream video content from their smartphones, tablets, or laptops directly onto the big screen. Priced at a mere $35 (€32), it offered an affordable solution for streaming video apps on TVs when smart TVs were not yet widely prevalent.

Over the years, Google introduced several subsequent Chromecast models, including a 4K variant in 2016. However, the most recent addition to the lineup was the 2020 Chromecast with Google TV, which included its own remote and a dedicated interface. This marked a significant shift for the Chromecast series, as it no longer relied solely on content streamed from smartphones.

While official support for the first-generation Chromecast has ceased, it’s worth noting that Google had already been infrequent with updates for the device. According to reports, the most recent update – the first one in over three years – was released in November 2022.