Vizio and Google are reportedly building Chromecast features into TVs

Google has signed a deal with television manufacturer Vizio to build the features of its incredible Google Chromecast gadget directly inside the television set, reports Variety.

According to the report, Google wants to build the Chromecast right into your TV. And word on the street is that they might ship as early as this spring.

Apparently, Vizio will be shipping an Android-powered “remote” along with the television, to get users accustomed to the new features. Instead, they will function just like Google’s Chromecast streaming adapter, offering consumers the ability to watch online services like Netflix and Hulu on their TV sets, but with the streaming initiating from mobile devices.

This new partnership between Google and Vizio is also interesting in light of the stillborn Google TV that the two have once planned together.

Should the report turn out to be true, this would mark Google’s fourth entry into the living room space after Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Android TV and the original Google TV that failed to take off in 2014. Plug the $35 adapter into the HDMI port of your TV, find content you want to watch using your phone or tablet, and hit a button to make it start playing on the TV instead of on your mobile device.

This development might be a unusual one given that Google already has two TV-oriented products and technologies available. Making it pretty easy to be done, although for many people if they don’t know their TV has built-in Chromecast they will likely never use it.

With Vizio now getting ready to release its first cast-capable TV sets, it may only be a question of time before we see Google cooperating with other TV manufacturers on casting as well.