Android getting Spotify Connect support in media switcher and cross-device switching

After rolling out Chromecast support, Google announced at CES 2023 that Android’s media output switcher will support Spotify Connect as it pushes more cross-device experiences.

Google is “working closely with Spotify to enable their users to easily switch playback between any Spotify Connect device from Android’s media player.” It wants to address how “selecting and changing which devices to play on can be time consuming if you have to go into each app to manage the controls.” “This year” was provided as the availability timeline.

Originally, the player just supported switching audio output between Bluetooth devices. Chromecast support arrived last month, starting with YouTube Music. Developers have to update their media apps to support it, and Google today mentioned availability for the main YouTube app.

Besides making it easy to switch output, Google is “developing a way for your audio content to move with you throughout your day” through “media notifications” as part of the Cross device SDK.

…you’ll be able to tap to start listening to a podcast in the car, continue on your phone and headphones and finish on your TV at home. As you move your physical location, you’ll see these media notifications on your phone or other devices asking if you’d like to transfer the audio over to a nearby device.

In practice, it’s not too different from the audio switch notifications for a pair of Bluetooth headphones used across multiple devices associated with the same account. Google is working with YouTube Music and Spotify “to use these notifications to help users enjoy the content they are streaming, on the most optimal device available to them.”

Google says these capabilities are powered by a “three-layer technology stack that recognizes your proximity to another device and context in how you use it, to bring you a new level of convenience and ease of use.”

In 2022, over 320 million Fast Pair pairings were made to instantly find and connect nearby accessories to your devices.

• The first layer recognizes what devices are physically close by, with wireless technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, and ultra-wideband (UWB).
• The second layer is nearby device discovery and context-aware capabilities that identify which device you may want to use based on your current activity. 
• Finally, the third layer understands and adjusts actions based on how you interact with your devices with cross-device intelligence.