A new box bearing the Google logo and Android has been certified by the FCC.
A few weeks ago, a new Google product surfaced under the code name Elfin. The first clues pointed to a replacement for the Nexus Player, the first box on Android TV Google. This product appears to have received its FCC certification in the United States.
Made in Shenzhen
Difficult to be sure it is a Google product, the certification seems to describe a product of the US firm, but the product is registered by Shenzhen SEI Robotics, a young company that develops products just under Android TV.
According to the photos released by the FCC, the device looks like Google’s Chromecast Ultra with the company’s recent “G” logo. It therefore offers a small box and a built-in HDMI cord, with a side micro USB port for power.
If it is an imitation of a Google product by a Chinese brand, it is difficult to understand why it would have the product certified by the FCC for marketing in the United States. This hypothesis therefore seems unlikely.
A box 4K Android 8.0 Oreo
The device manual published by the FCC shows a diagram of the box, with an image of the supplied remote control that offers a central button dedicated to Google Assistant. The interface images show that this is an Android TV device based on Android 8.0 Oreo.
According to the data sheet, this case includes an Amlogic S905X chip with 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage on eMMC. This chip is capable of decoding the VP9 and HEVC with a 4K UHD definition at 60 frames per second. The more conventional H.264 is decoded into 4K at 30 frames per second.
A presentation to Google I / O?
Google will present its developer news from May 8 to May 10, 2018 on Google I / O. This conference is often an opportunity for the firm to launch new products to promote its services. If this FCC certification relates to a Google product, then the case could be presented on this occasion.