Pandora launches its own in-app voice assistant on Android and iOS w/ ‘Hey Pandora’ command

Ben Schoon | Jan 15 2019 - 7:20 am PT

Following the end of the “we added voice commands to it” convention last week, Pandora has today announced its own voice assistant, otherwise known as Pandora Voice Mode, for its Android and iOS applications. Rolling out soon to free and paid users, the new assistant will make it easy for users to control stations, perform common actions within the app, and more.

The built-in assistant Pandora is adding to its mobile apps is designed to offer a hands-free, personalized experience for its users. Pandora Voice Mode has the ability to handle many different requests using Natural Language Understanding technology alongside Pandora’s standard music recommendation engine.

Requests that Voice Mode can handle include controlling portions of the app such as changing stations, skipping or pausing tracks, adjusting volume, and other basic tasks. It can also handle more complex, personal tasks such as “play something for my workout” or “play something I like” using user history.

Requests for specific content can also be handled depending on the account tier, as well as asking “what song is this” and “add this song to my playlist.”

All of these commands are triggered with the “Hey Pandora” command, playing off of the similar “Hey Google” and “Hey Siri” commands from Google and Apple respectively.

By saying the wake phrase “Hey Pandora” followed by a request, users can effortlessly control and continually refine their listening experience by just speaking naturally. Voice Mode allows listeners to seamlessly enjoy the full range of their Pandora experience hands-free whether they’re driving, cooking, working out, or entertaining friends.

Voice Mode uses advanced Natural Language Understanding technology to respond to a wide array of requests with the perfect music for each user’s personal tastes, not just what’s widely popular, via Pandora’s pioneering music recommendation technology.

Video Credit: TechCrunch

Pandora Voice Mode is launching today, January 15th, to a small percentage of the company’s user base on both Android and iOS. Following some testing with those first users, the feature will be rolling out more widely over the next couple of months. Voice Mode will also be able to cast content to a Google Home speaker by command as well as tying into Siri Shortcuts on iOS.