As announced at last week’s October Pixel Drop, Google is rolling out “hold to cast,” or tap to cast, between Pixel Pro phones and Pixel tablets.
Updated 10/26: After playing around with it a bit, I found that “cast near the hold” (although this is still an awkward name) works pretty well.
Tablets can be locked in hub mode on the charging speaker dock, but Pixel phones must be unlocked. However, you don’t need to have the music app open. A pill-shaped prompt similar to Watch Unlock will appear at the top of your phone, indicating your current status and asking if you should approach it. If the transfer is successful, the “Undo” button will be displayed for a few seconds.
Pixel tablets display a glow that is typically closer to where your phone is, along with a large streaming app logo.
However, the bidirectional nature can be a bit tricky. If you don’t move your handheld device out of the way immediately, your tablet will attempt to transfer the songs to your phone. That being said, it’s a nice feature when you’re leaving the room.
Just enable the “Hold to Cast” setting on your phone. (This also doesn’t exist on Pixel tablets, but I couldn’t enable it in the Android 15 QPR1 beta.)
Hold close to Cast actually should have launched on Pixel tablets in June 2023. It would have highlighted the benefits included in the Pixel portfolio, which includes both Google smartphones and tablets. Now that it’s here, those who bought a Pixel Tablet without the Dock might be convinced to get the accessory.
Original 10/24: Tap to Cast was announced at CES in January as part of Google’s continued commitment to multi-device experiences. This allows you to “bring your phone closer to your Pixel tablet to cast media.” It’s bidirectional, and with the originally announced support for YouTube Music and Spotify, you’ll be able to transfer songs both ways. Google said today that “not all media apps can take advantage of this feature.”
Utilizes UWB (Ultra Wide Band), among other wireless technologies, and requires a pro-grade Pixel smartphone (Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL , or Pixel 9). Pro Fold — and a docked Pixel Tablet. On the other hand, “To cast, the devices must be on the same private Wi-Fi network.”
To enable Closer to Cast, on your Pixel,[設定]App >[Google]>[すべてのサービス]>[キャスト オプション]Move to. This is a clunky but technically accurate and descriptive name.
This feature is scheduled to roll out in Google Play Services version 24.42.32, but it doesn’t appear to be widely available yet.
Pixel tablet details:
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