Rapid Prototyping and Market Entry: Google Chromecast's Success Story with Flex
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Device Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
- Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Time Sensitive Networking
- Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
About The Customer
Google is a multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products. These include search engines, online advertising technologies, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Google's business objective was to enter the streaming media market and bring online media streaming to an unprecedented mass market. They aimed to create a disruptive device that could be used in living rooms worldwide. To achieve this, Google partnered with Flex to take the Chromecast from idea to concept to worldwide production.
The Challenge
Google's entry into the streaming media market was a strategic move to bring online media streaming to an unprecedented mass market. The challenge was to create a disruptive device that could be used in living rooms worldwide. Google partnered with Flex to take the Chromecast from idea to concept to worldwide production. The design and engineering challenges included creating a device that was small in size, competitively priced, had wireless capabilities, and could manage temperature effectively. The goal was to design a prototype of the Chromecast in just four weeks and speed up the time to market, beating competitors on both market entry and price.
The Solution
Google engaged with Flex, sharing only rudimentary concepts of its product, seeking a partner to design, engineer, and manufacture the device at scale. The gadget would allow users to instantly 'cast' content from mobile devices or laptops to television screens. Flex engineers designed an octagonal-shaped, printed circuit board — an unprecedented form factor — and solved other significant technological challenges. The design of the circuit board took advantage of the gaps between circuits to disperse heat so it wouldn’t burn the circuitry. Flex developed an antenna with a ribbon nestled between the layers of the circuit board that could sniff out a signal from behind a flat-screen. Together, Google and Flex designed a working prototype in just four weeks.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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