At CES 2024, Google has announced the latest updates to its services like Nearby Share, Fast Pair, Chromecast, Android Auto, and more. These help users get more done across their phones, laptops, Bluetooth accessories, TVs, smart homes, and cars, says the company.
Nearby Share is now Quick Share
As expected, Google has renamed Nearby Share as Quick Share. To do so, Google has collaborated with Samsung, combining both solutions into a singular cross-Android solution under Quick Share.
This acts as the best default solution for peer-to-peer content sharing across all types of devices in the Android and Chromebook ecosystems. Google is also working with leading PC manufacturers like LG to expand Quick Share to Windows PCs as a pre-installed app.
Fast Pair to Google TV
Fast Pair is a way to quickly find and connect your nearby Bluetooth accessories to your devices such as your Android phone or Chromebook. Next month, Fast Pair support is expanding to Chromecast with Google TV and will be expanding to more Google TV devices later this year.
Chromecast Updates
Starting today, users can cast TikTok content to Chromecast built-in devices, with plans to introduce the ability to cast LIVE videos soon. The expansion includes more devices, like the 2024 LG TV series, and extends to LG Hospitality and Healthcare later this year.
Additionally, a new casting feature for Spotify and YouTube Music lets users move their playing content from a Pixel phone to a docked Pixel Tablet when in closeness, ensuring seamless listening experiences.
More interoperability across devices with Matter
Google is also working on the ability to add Matter devices to users’ home networks and locally control them with the Google Home app. In the future, LG TVs and select Google TV and other Android TV OS devices will act as hubs for Google Home.
Android Auto Updates
Android Auto is getting a new EV-friendly update. With this upcoming update, which is expected to roll out in the coming months, EVs compatible with Android Auto can share real-time battery information with Google Maps.
This integration will provide users with an estimated battery level upon arrival at their destination, suggesting charging stops along the way and even estimating how long charging will take based on your vehicle.
Starting today, Google is rolling out a new update that lets you send trips that you’ve planned on your phone directly to Google Maps on your car display.
Google is showcasing these Android capabilities along with AI technology that powers experiences like Magic Editor in Google Photos on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and Magic Compose (beta) in Google Messages at CES 2024.