Google Chromecast Launching in UK This Week

Google is expected to announce the Chromecast streaming dongle will be available in the UK from Wendesday, 19 March though the price remains unknown.Google

Last week Google's Sundar Pichai gave the first indication of when the company's Chromecast streaming dongle would be made available outside the US.

Now however we have more concrete proof in the form of a leaked screenshot from an internal computer system at high street retailer Dixon's which suggests the Chromecast will go on sale in the UK as early as this Wednesday, 19 March with stores having begun receiving stock last Friday, 14 March.

Google launched the Chromecast HDMI streaming dongle alongside the second generation Google Nexus 7 in July last year.

The leaked screenshot - which was obtained by Android Police - doesn't however reveal how much Google will charge for the Chromecast in the UK.

The dongle costs $35 in the US, and the search giant is expected to keep the price at a similarly low level in the UK, with some reports indicating the Chromecast will cost £30 when it goes on sale.

Chromecast SDK

Last month Google launched the Google Cast Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers allowing them to build supprt for Chromecast into their apps on Android, iOS and the Chrome operating system.

Although, Pichai did not reveal specific sales figures for the Chromecast when he spoke about it at SXSW, he did say that "millions" of Chromecast units have been sold and the sales continue to grow.

The Chromecast allows users to wirelessly display content from Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones and iPads, laptops or desktop PCs and Chromebooks running Google's Chrome OS.

The current list of supported apps is limited but includes heavyweights like YouTube and Netflix as well as Google's Play-branded movies, TV and music apps.

With the release of the SDK for iOS, Android and Chrome we should see the list of supported apps grow quickly in coming months.