Google ID Team The Chromecast with Google TV was the biggest upgrade in the Chromecast family so far. Not only is it the first Chromecast with its own Android powered Google TV OS but also the first with an included remote. With this design we were able to challenge many preconceptions Google’s most selling product had, including that a streaming device needs to be black to be successful, a remote needs to be square as well as small details like “we can’t do our own custom labeled, colored batteries”. The surfacing of the Chromecast is inspired by the natural shapes found in pebbles. The smooth, rounded surfaces are reminiscent of the way water and time smooth the edges of a stone, creating a truly natural feel which stands in contrast to the dark, cold and square competitive products. The elongated shape indicates the added power over the previous generation while building on the established Chromecast design heritage. The shape of the pebble has been relentlessly refined through hundreds of iterations, each one building upon the last to create a form that feels perfectly balanced. This project exemplified the need for careful balance between various constraints in order to achieve a successful outcome. Among these constraints were the extremely high quantities of the product, low BOM cost, usability as well as sustainability that had to be balanced while keeping the design intent intact and meeting the tight schedule. With the Chromecast the remote enables the only physical day to day user interaction with the product and has to work with a wide array of users hands. The soft surfacing invites to be picked up and the pill shape is comfortable to hold. The amount of buttons is carefully considered and every unnecessary detail removed. The attention to detail did not stop at the custom labeled, color matched Google batteries that come with it. Industrial Design Lead
Product Photography
Art Direction
Release October 2020
Sculpted Pebble
Approach
The Remote
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