Sonos customers will be able to stream their favorite tunes even more easily than before with the newest update from Google.
Google Play Music launched an eagerly-anticipated update to the Sonos Hi-Fi wireless speaker system in April, which allows individuals to stream music from Google Play directly from the Google app, forgoing the Sonos Controller app entirely (although you will have to have this application installed on your Android device for the update to work.)
The company said, “As we continue to invest in the way you experience and control your music at home, curating and managing an array of services across multiple rooms, the benefits of playing your music to Sonos directly from these very services is clear. We’ve created a music experience that shows how media, devices, and sound can seamlessly work together in the home.”
Streaming music from the device is as easy as selecting a speaker. First, users must download the Google Play app and have the Sonos Controller app installed on their Android device. Press the casting button on the upper right corner of the Google Play Music app and choose the Sonos speaker to which you’d like to stream your playlist. If there are multiple speakers in your Sonos system, you’ll be given the option.
The bad news, at least for iOS fans, is that the Google Play Music app integration is for Android devices only at this point; Google takes advantage of Android-specific features, so the Google Play Music app for your iPhone or iPad won’t give you the same streaming option. However, iOS fans can still access Google Play Music – at least the majority of the features – through the Sonos Controller app, which lists Google Play Music as one of the many supported features.
This update marks the first major service to offer built-in Sonos integration.
Many tech experts believe this major update could open the door to native streaming from other major audio players, like Pandora, Rdio and Beats Music – and this could mean a huge benefit for Sonos Hi-Fi systems.
*photo credit Sonos