Google Cast app becomes Google Home as update starts rolling out for Android

Google has started rolling out an update for its Cast app for Android that changes its name. From this point on, the app will be known as Google Home, which makes sense considering the fact that it's going to widen its scope once the Google Home device launches. Up until this point, the Cast app was useful for managing Chromecasts and other Google Cast-compatible streaming receivers. After Google Home launches, it will still do that, but additionally it will be used for setting up your smart speaker.

The name change isn't surprising, since Google has recently alerted those who have the Cast app installed that it will become Google Home at some point in the future. That's happening now. But the name isn't the only thing that's changed - the Google Home app has a different layout compared to the last iteration of Google Cast.

Whereas the old app had three tabs - What's on, Devices, and Get apps - the new one has just two - Watch and Discover. The search bar is gone too, but to achieve the same purpose you can tap on the floating action button in the bottom right corner. In the top right corner is a new icon that will take you to what used to be the Devices tab. If you want to cast your screen or find special offers for your Chromecast, you can still do that from the navigation drawer.

Finally, the new app also has a new icon, as you'd expect. Oddly though, it's not round, even if Google has started pushing for round icons with the release of its Pixel phones. Maybe that will come in a later update. Speaking of updates, as usual it may take a few days before this one hits your device, as Google loves its phased rollouts.

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