Google on Monday revealed a major new push, which will see it take on Apple TV as it is set to bring its Chromecast dongle to hifi systems. The tech giant plans to partner with hifi companies to create speakers for the service; a move, which it said was already on the card.
Google’s Chromecast is already popular, and plans to bring it into speakers, soundbars and A/V receivers will further make the $35 worth technology more popular among users. The technology currently allows people to play back videos from websites such as Netflix.
According to the Daily Mail, Google says it will be able to ‘cast’ audio wirelessly from different apps on Android or iOS smartphone, or the Web in the same way people with Chromecast stream video.
“Just like Chromecast, simply tap the cast button in your favorite music or radio app on Android, iOS, or the web, and select a Google Cast Ready speaker to get the party started.”
Similar to the video service, Chromecast users can use their phone to control the music, which is then played directly through the speaker from cloud services. This means that they can use their phone for other things.
“Google Cast Ready speakers pull content directly from the cloud, so you’ll get the best audio quality and can freely multi-task on your phone, tablet, or laptop, all without straining the battery,” the company said.
The service, which is available from Monday, and Google’s speakers will work with a growing list of apps including Deezer, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, NPR One, Pandora, Rdio, TuneIn, and many others.
A closer look at the lists of available lists of apps reveal that Spotify and a host of major streaming services are currently missing at the moment. The company, according to the report plans to expand the Google Cast ecosystem in the next coming months. It plans to bring in more televisions, game consoles, and set-top boxes with Android TV.
Google is also working to allow other non-audio apps to enhance the experience by supporting Google Cast Ready audio services.
For instance, users might be able to see a video on a tablet, but hear the audio on a set of bedroom speakers according to the Daily Mail.
Google launched Chromecast as a direct competitor to the Apple TV system. Chromecast is compatible with Android smartphones and tablets, as well as Chrome and Apple iOS operating system.
