Of all the things the new Chromecast from Google does right, there is still a glaring problem with the device that becomes pretty apparent the moment you actually begin using it. Lacking proper account switching support is a pretty big black eye to the device’s usefulness overall and it is one that we’ve talked about at length here on Chrome Unboxed already. With so many of Google’s other devices offering proper account switching support, it is a bit of a questionable move to leave it off the family room-oriented Chromecast dongle.
More troubling is the fact that Andriod TV (the OS underneath the Chromecast’s new Google TV-branded UI experience) has never really had account switching either, even after years of users asking for it. While I’ve not mentioned this prior, that fact has nagged at the back of my mind and made me worry that just like Android TV, Google TV would never actually add this feature to the new Chromecast.
Google’s somewhat-official acknowledgement
Over on Twitter, the official Google Nest account replied to a user’s question about multi-account support and whether or not the Chromecast would support it now or in the future. Check out the reply:
As expected, there’s no support in an official capacity right now, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be. In fact, Google’s own Nest Twitter account is clearly saying this feature is ‘top of mind’ and on the road map at this point. So, what does that mean, exactly? Well, it could mean just about anything regarding a time frame. What we’re taking away is the fact that Google is looking at this and instead of just just dismissing the request, they are acknowledging that it is in consideration and will come down the road at some point.
They could have easily said it is not supported and they can’t share details, but the fact that they included that this feature is ‘top of mind’ tells me that this is likely not too far down the road. Honestly, apart from the tiny storage, multi-account support is just about the only gripe I currently have with the new Chromecast, so the sooner they can fix that small issue, the sooner we can just go ahead and crown this new dongle as the go-to streaming device for just about every user out there.
SOURCE: Express
