Google Says It Is Discontinuing the Chromecast Audio

Google has announced that the Chromecast Audio will no longer be manufactured. The gadget debuted in 2015 as a cheap and simple means of sending audio from Chromecast-compatible apps to regular speakers via a 3.5mm audio cable. Support will continue for existing devices, however. ...it's probably a good time for Chromecast Audio to be discontinued, as the trend continues toward smart speakers being the default. Chromecast Audio as we know it could never keep up with today's smart speakers, as it lacks Google Assistant capability. This could be a good opportunity for Google to launch a similarly affordable Google Home device that turns an older speaker system into a proper Assistant smart speaker, similar to the Echo Input.