Google TV Streamer gets tweaked box that’s more conventional and secure

Last year, Google introduced new Plastic-Free Packaging across all its hardware as part of its 2025 goal announced in 2020. The company has now adjusted the box for the Google TV Streamer.

“Peelable closure labels” — paired with outer sleeves that cover the primary box — are a big aspect of this new design. This pill-shaped sticker with adhesive on the underside replaces tear strips, and has the benefit of leaving “no rough, torn edges or dangling flaps after opening.”

The box for the Google TV Streamer was already a bit more conventional in not having a sleeve (though there’s a retention pack), but it made use of a wide peelable label that you tore off to lift the top flap and access the contents.

As of May 2025 (per the manufacturing date), Google has updated the packaging to use a slightly more traditional closure mechanism (tuck end). There’s a much smaller peelable label. After removing, you pull back the tab from the slit/cutout and then proceed to untuck the top flab. 

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Old box: Background | New box: Foreground

There’s more friction with this common design, which helps keep everything secure. In comparison, if the sticker was somehow torn off or pushed aside on the old box, the contents could fall out since no other mechanism was securing it. 

As of the Pixel 9a, the two peelable labels and sleeve design are unchanged. When Google introduced this design last year, some pointed out how a nefarious party could just glue down the label after removing, or replace it entirely compared to tear strips or shrink wrap. We’ll see if the Pixel 10 series makes any changes. 

Google presumably updated the TV Streamer packaging now as it will remain on sale for a few more years.