Google Makes It Easier to Move Music and Video Streams Between Devices

At long last, Google is finally introducing a way for users of its smart speakers and streaming adapters to move media between those devices. The company introduced a new feature called Stream Transfer Tuesday that makes it possible to move an ongoing music stream, podcast or YouTube video from one compatible device to the next.

At launch, these devices include Google Home and Nest smart speakers as well as Google Nest smart displays and Chromecast-equipped TVs. The transfer of a stream can be initiated either with voice commands like “Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker,” via the Google Home app on a mobile device, or through a new media interface on Nest smart displays.

Users can also start watching a YouTube video on their Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max smart display, and then press the cast button to move it to their Chromecast-equipped TV. Alternatively, they can move videos with a voice command.

In the case of music or podcasts, users can also opt to transfer their music from a single speaker to a speaker group, if they have grouped speakers together via the Google Home app. This makes it possible to preview songs on one speaker, and then blast them through the entire house.

Google has been working on this feature for quite some time. The company first announced it in 2018, but at the time didn’t have a visual implementation for smart displays finalized, which led to the decision to delay a planned roll-out. And earlier this summer, the company accidentally enabled Stream Transfer for a few users, which got promptly celebrated on Reddit.

Google began rolling out Stream Transfer to all Chromecast adapters and Google Home and Nest smart speakers and displays Tuesday. A spokesperson told Variety that it will bring the feature to third-party smart displays in the coming months, and that it was working on bringing it to additional devices, including Android TVs, in the future.

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