Google Chromecast Will Begin Android Mirroring, KitKat 4.4.1 Code Reveals

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is believed to be working on a new feature for the Chromecast that would allow the $35 HDMI dongle to mirror the screen of an Android device running 4.4.1 KitKat or later. The USB flash drive-sized device connects to a television’s HDMI port, as well as a home’s wireless network to stream media.

Koushik Dutta, CyanogenMod developer and co-founder of Cyanogen Inc., said on his Google+ page that a few lines of code in Android 4.4.1 (KitKat) revealed the potential new Chromecast feature. Dutta criticized Google for making the feature available only to the Chromecast, and not open to implementation on other hardware, such as Apple TV or the Roku.

Chromecast was recently selected as 2013’s No. 1 gadget by Time Magazine. Chromecast also recently added support for HBO Go, the premium channel’s on-demand service. The Google dongle also supports Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube.

GigaOm reported last week that the Chromecast could soon support local media playback as well, via the Plex Media Server software. This would allow users to play back downloaded music and video files with the Chromecast.

Dutta is developing an Android app capable of casting video and audio from a smartphone or tablet to several devices, including Apple TV, as well as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. He recently released a video demonstrating that AllCast allowed Android users willing to root their devices the ability to record video as well as sound on their Android device. See it below:

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