SiriusXM radio finally plays nice with the Google Assistant
It'll work with Google Home and Nest speakers starting next week.
Starting next week, SiriusXM will be available through Google Assistant-powered hardware in the US and Canada. That means you can ask "Hey Google, play Howard 100 on SiriusXM or request an artist channel with something like "Hey Google, play The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM." Google says the same commands will work in Canadian French "soon." SiriusXM subscribers will also be able to watch "curated video content," including interviews and in-studio performances, from the company on a Nest Hub or Hub Max -- anything with a screen, really -- later this year.
The Google Assistant already supports a range of radio-centric providers including NPR, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Radio.com. SiriusXM could have a tough time, therefore, competing with the myriad other services that are now accessible through the platform. If you haven't tried SiriusXM before, Google says "eligible customers" can snag a free three-month trial by setting up a new Nest speaker or smart display through the Google Home app. For comparison, SiriusXM has played nice with Amazon's Alexa assistant since 2017, and started offering three-month trials for Echo owners last October. Still, better late than never for Google folks, eh?
