Reports are surfacing today of second-generation Chromecasts and Chromecast Audio devices suddenly failing to stream, displaying an “Untrusted device” error message on the casting source. The issue, which seems to affect these older streaming pucks, has left users speculating whether Google is quietly phasing them out.
Screenshots shared on Reddit show the full error message: “Untrusted device — This device couldn’t be verified. This could be caused by outdated device firmware.” Naturally, that’s raised alarms about whether these products are being officially deprecated.
So far, there’s no confirmation from Google that support is ending. As noted by 9to5Google, unlike the first-generation Chromecast which was formally retired in 2023, Google hasn’t made any announcements about discontinuing these two devices. At least one user claims to have spoken to Google support and was told that the company is aware of the issue and is working on a fix.
Google discontinued the Chromecast product line in August 2023 but stated that it would continue to offer “software and security updates to the latest devices.” If the current issue is a sign of those updates ending for second-gen Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, it would be a disappointing — if unsurprising — development for fans of the older gear.
While there are newer and more capable alternatives available, many users still have a soft spot for Chromecast Audio — Google’s charming, vinyl record-inspired music streamer. If this really is the end of the road for it, it’s a quiet and unfortunate one.
