All focus for Google when it comes to music streaming has moved to YouTube Music, and starting today, Waze will get integration with the service.
Waze has slowly been building up a portfolio of music and podcast apps to integrate with the navigation service using an audio kit launched in 2018. The list currently includes big names such as Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer, TuneIn, and more. The latest addition was a podcast player called Castbox in June, but starting today, YouTube Music is the newest integration.
Like with other apps that use Waze’s audio player, this latest integration will be able to show controls and pick playlists directly within the Waze application, all without leaving the navigation screen. In a recent teardown, we found information about Waze integration for YouTube Music, but we’re not entirely sure that’s the same thing as Waze’s Audio Kit.
This new connection starts rolling out in Brazil, but Waze says that all YouTube Music subscribers across the globe will be able to connect the apps “in the coming weeks.”
Waze Signs Up YouTube Music As Newest Audio Player Partner
Waze is teaming up with YouTube Music to give drivers their best time on the road
Mountain View, CA, 21 August, 2019 — Waze, the platform bringing together communities on and off the road, today announced YouTube Music is their newest Audio Player partner, giving drivers a new way to listen to music while safely driving.
Originally launched in October 2018, Waze’s full service audio player caters for every taste and genre by partnering with the world’s leading audio platforms to seamlessly deliver music, podcasts, audiobooks, news, and more. Since then, Waze users have driven almost 11 billion kilometers while listening to content from one of Waze’s Audio Player partners. By partnering with YouTube Music, from today, drivers can safely listen to their favorite albums, playlists, personalized mixes, and more from directly within the Waze app where they get their navigation directions.
“We’re really excited to have YouTube Music be part of the Waze Audio Player family,” said Adam Fried, head of global partnerships at Waze. “We always want to make sure our users have the best possible experience in the car, and now providing them with access to YouTube Music’s huge catalogue means they’ll always have access to their favorite tracks and playlists while on the road.”
Lawrence Kennedy, product manager, YouTube Music, said: “We know our users love listening to YouTube Music when they’re in the car, so partnering with Waze now makes the driving and music listening experience even better. By making YouTube Music albums, playlists, mixes, and more available within the Waze app, our users can enjoy all their favorite content without ever missing a turn.”
YouTube Music Premium subscribers can listen on Waze by simply opening the Waze app and tapping the music note icon to select YouTube Music as their audio player. They can start enjoying audio content directly from Waze right away, including playlists, radio, and more.
Waze initially launched with seven partners: Deezer, iHeartRadio, NPR, Pandora, Scribd, Stitcher, and TuneIn joined Spotify, which has been available on Waze since March 2017. Since then, Waze has also introduced integrations with Audiobooks.com, Radio.com, Castbox, and NRJ Radio, who integrated their audio experience into Waze by using the Waze Audio Kit.
The YouTube Music integration for Waze Audio Player will begin rolling out in Brazil from today, and will be available for all users globally in the coming weeks. You can download Waze here, and to integrate your audio app with Waze, apply for the Waze Audio Kit here.
More on Waze:
- Waze now shows toll prices along your route in US and Canada
- Waze adds support for Castbox podcast player on Android
- Google Assistant rolling out to Waze for Android w/ voice reporting commands
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