Is Google Chromecast Going Global?

could be on the cusp of an international rollout. According to

, the search engine giant is now allowing consumers outside of the United States to download the official Chromecast apps. Those apps are useless without a Chromecast, however. Google may have loosened its restrictions anyway to satisfy those who

from

. More likely, Google is preparing to send Chromecast overseas.

If Google wants to gain control of the global market, it needs to act fast. Between the barrage of set-top boxes, Internet-enabled Blu-ray players and the arrival of

that aim to rule the living room, Google priced Chromecast to sell. Unlike those items, however, Chromecast has been criticized for being

for its own good. It may be a solid device for those who have no other way to watch

on a high-definition TV. But with only a handful of apps, the device does not provide many options.

If Google enters the global market this month, it will do so around the same time that

is rumored to enter the scene. The online retail giant has yet to confirm that it will sell a set-top box or HDMI stick for streaming digital content, but rumors claim that the firm is

a device in time for Christmas. Amazon could wait until November to launch its product. Even if it does, the company's incredible marketing power could give it an edge over the competition. Google must also contend with the threat of copycats in emerging markets. Chinese knock-offs are bound to appear whether Chromecast is sold in China or not. They could provide further problems for Google, which is currently competing on price -- not on features or functionality. Disclosure: