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I just received my first update email since joining the Preview Program. Like we all do, I quickly fired up my Chromecast and noticed a pretty striking change.
Up front and center, the Chrome logo is gone from the boot screen. Replaced, instead, by Google’s simple ‘G’.
According to a link in the notification email all Preview Program users received, all we are seeing here are general bug fixes and stability improvements. Nothing flashy or exciting. Well, until you reboot, that is.
The decision by Google to change the branding on the boot screen is a bit confusing to me. As we keep seeing moves by Google to align its branding across products – first with the Nexus Pixel phones and followed up with the new OnHub Google Wi-Fi – it seems Google looks set to continue it’s ‘Made By Google’ march.
While I understand all that and I completely love Google’s desire to reign in its usual shotgun approach to hardware and services branding, I just hope they don’t go too far, too fast.
By a very long shot, the Chromecast is Google’s most successful hardware creation. Chrome, both as a browser and Google’s OS, is a recognizable, familiar, and very popular brand. It is the one they don’t need distance from. And, while this little move is likely not indicative of a branding shift for Chromecast devices, it is still a bit strange.
Google’s had a history of bungling products and services; even the greatest ones. Chromecast is a full-fledged market success. Here’s to hoping they don’t forget that any time soon.
