From CNET: Google is launching another new feature to make switching between all the Android devices in your life a little easier. Media Notifications, announced at CES, will let you transition audio content from the car to your phone, headphones, phone and smart home devices based on proximity. It's Google's newest effort to bring its Android ecosystem up to par with Apple's when it comes to connectivity and cohesiveness between devices.
The way Apple's products seamlessly connect to one another has helped it become the world's second-largest smartphone maker and the top seller of smartwatches and wireless earbuds. The launch of Media Notifications is Google's latest attempt to show that products don't have to be made by the same company to work together. Google has been moving towards this goal for years by introducing features like Phone Hub, Nearby Share and Fast Pair. Additions like these have become all the more important now that Android and iOS have staked a larger presence in our cars, our ears and on our wrists.
"This is an ongoing investment," Erik Kay, Google's vice president of engineering for Android, said to CNET exclusively ahead of CES. "We get to the point where pretty much any feature that shows up on the phone or shows up on a watch is going to inherently be a multi-device feature over time."
Spotify and YouTube Music will be among the first apps to be compatible with Media Notifications. Google is also working with Spotify to make it possible to manage playback between Spotify Connect devices in Android 13's new media player -- another move to improve consistency across Android devices.
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