Google's making it easier to move multimedia between smart speakers

Today, October 8, Google announced in a blog post a new feature called "stream transfer." The feature will allow you to tell your Google Assistant device to move what you're streaming to a different device. If you've ever been listening to music while in your office and then decide to head to the kitchen to get dinner going, then you know the frustration. Getting the music to resume where you were on the new device can be annoying when it loses the place in your jam.

It seems that Stream transfer will let you move music, videos, podcasts, and more by voice, the touchscreen of your smart display, or via the Google Home app. Here's how Google says the feature can work:

• Move your music with the Google Assistant: Start playing music on the Google Home Mini in your kitchen, and keep the vibe going in the living room. Just say, "Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker."
• Control your entertainment with the Google Home app: Tap the cast button to see all the devices in your home, then choose which device or group you'd like to move your podcast or music to.
• Move YouTube videos between your Nest smart display and Chromecast-enabled TV: Browse for your favorite YouTube videos on Nest Hub Max, and tap the cast control on the screen to move it to your Chromecast-connected TV. Or, say "Hey Google, play it on living room TV."
• Fill your home with music: If you have more than one Google Home and Nest smart speaker or display, you can set up a speaker group in the Home App. Transfer music from a single speaker to the speaker group to fill your whole home with music.

You can use Stream transfer with all the audio apps that are currently compatible with Google Assistant such as YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, and others. As for video streaming, the only app listed that is specifically called out for compatibility is YouTube — so it's unclear if this will be available for other video streaming services. Roll out for the feature starts today to all Chromecasts, Google Home, and Nest smart speakers & displays.