Google today announced Google Home units are now gaining voice control support for HBO NOW, CBS All Access, and The CW, thanks to Google Assistant. As a result, owners of the original Google Home or the newer Google Home Mini are now able to simply ask their Google Home units to play a number of TV shows and movies from any of these services, as well as being able to control the video content while it is playing (pause, skip, rewind, adjust volume, and so on).
As these are TV services though and designed to play content on the big screen, having a compatible Google Home unit is only half of the equation. As those interested will also need to have a Chromecast as well, due to the Chromecast acting as the bridging device between the Google Home unit and the TV. With all the necessary hardware in place, Google explains users simply just need to link their HBO NOW or CBS All Access account to the Google Home unit through the ‘Home’ Android app. Following which, both services will be able to be accessed and controlled via voice commands.
Today’s announcement is only the latest of many announcements that has come through detailing the gradual expansion of Google Home’s (and Assistant’s) voice command support. With YouTube TV support the most recent, having been announced earlier in the month. In fact, the HBO NOW support had been expected prior to today due to the Google Home Help documentation having been updated last week to reflect the newly-added support. So today’s announcements acts as more of an official confirmation of the support now live along with CBS All Access (which had already understood to be on its way since August of this year) and The CW. Speaking of the latter, The CW does not require linking in the Home app as it is a free service. So if you do not have access to HBO NOW or CBS All Access, The CW should be fine to test out the newly-added voice support. Just start with the usual “OK” or “Hey Google” and ask it to play the latest episode of Riverdale.