The new integration will work with smart speakers and displays like Nest Audio, Nest Hub, and Google Home Mini. You can listen to Spotify podcasts using the same voice commands as songs or playlists.
While this is good news for owners of smart home devices, it will be useful for all Android users. The same voice commands will work with the Assistant menu on any smartphone or tablet with the Spotify app installed.
The feature, announced today on For the record, is available to all Google Assistant users. In addition to starting new episodes via voice command, you'll be able to pick up where you left off as you move between devices.
All you need to get started is a Google Assistant device and an associated Spotify account.
Adding Spotify podcasts to Google Assistant devices is timely. With the recently announced Nest Audio smart speaker now available globally, it's likely more people than ever will be using the Google Assistant at home.
Until now, Google only fully integrated Google Podcasts into its voice assistant. This forced users to use its platform exclusively or maintain multiple subscription lists on different services.
Already one of the biggest podcast providers, Spotify now hosts exclusive podcasts such as Joe Rogan Experience and Michelle Obama Podcast. The new integration will solidify Spotify as the podcast provider of choice for people using Google Assistant devices.
This isn't the first time Spotify and Google have worked together for mutual benefit. Last year, Spotify premium users were able to get a free Google Home Mini regardless of when they started their premium account.
The news of Spotify podcast integration is good news for members of the Google ecosystem, but Apple HomePod users are likely to feel left behind. Spotify's lack of proper integration has long been controversial for Apple loyalists.
While there are workarounds to add Spotify support to HomePod, there's still no official integration in sight. HomePod supports Apple Music, but it lacks some key features. However, according to reports, the HomePod will soon play Apple Music as an alarm, which is something.
Setting up media alarms has been a Google Assistant feature for a while, and now users can also wake up to their favorite podcast.
