At CES last year, Google announced their version of AirPlay called Google Cast where it essentially takes the streaming abilities of the Chromecast and utilize them within different types of hardware (speakers, audio equipment, etc.). Throughout last year, there wasn’t a ton of hardware partners involved really save for LG & Sony.
This year things will be different. This morning, Google unveiled more hardware partners involved for the expansion of this as well as Android TV. New to Google Cast will be products from B&O Play, Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Philips, Pioneer, and Raumfeld. Expanding on the Android TV side of things we have Arcelik, Vestel, RCA, HiSense, TCL, and Bang & Olufsen.
Also, Google announced that that Google Cast speakers will soon get multi-room support like the CHromecast Audio got last month. This will offer Sonos-like Zone control to play different or the same music w/ every speaker in your home. We can expect the new products to arrive sometime later this year.
