Google ‘Stream transfer’ moves audio/video between Smart Displays, speakers, more

Google has a whole ecosystem of home Assistant devices from Smart Displays and speakers to Chromecast-connected TVs. With a new “Stream transfer” feature today, all three categories will work better to move playing media from room to room.

Stream transfer is a new feature that lets you easily move music, videos, podcasts, and more between compatible devices in your home using your voice, the Google Home app, or the touchscreen on your Nest smart display.

This functionality is available from all your Assistant surfaces, and accessible with commands like, “Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker.” On a Smart Display, you’ll have the option to move YouTube videos to a 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.”

Other cross-device integrations as part of Google Stream transfer include:

• 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.
• 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.

Stream transfer works on a variety of existing audio apps, with Google touting YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, and others. Only YouTube is cited on the video front, with the feature “rolling out across all Chromecasts and Google Home and Nest smart speakers and displays today.”