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Google is reportedly planning to bring YouTube Music to more platforms and also expand third-party integrations. Sources familiar with the matter have told 9to5Google that the company is looking to release YouTube Music apps for Apple TV and Garmin smartwatches. It is also aiming to deepen its integrations with HomePod and other third-party services, like Sonos.
YouTube Music is one of the most popular music streaming apps globally. Google’s music service is available widely across various platforms. Along with Android, iOS, and iPad apps, the company also offers a music experience within the main YouTube app for TVs. You don’t get the same set of features or similar experiences everywhere, but the service is available on a host of devices.
But Google now wants to make YouTube Music even more accessible. It is planning a standalone app for Apple TV. The music service will get its separate icon on your TV’s homescreen and will no longer require you to go via the YouTube app. A dedicated app for Google TV/Android TV may also follow, though the sources aren’t sure about it. Google may want to keep things consistent across all TV platforms.
Meanwhile, Google is looking to build deeper YouTube Music integration with HomePod, like how Pandora does. As the report notes, “those third-party services can be set as the default for voice commands”. In line with that, Apple announced Siri support for AirPlay on HomePod during its ongoing annual developers’ conference WWDC. It listed YouTube Music as a partner, so things may have already progressed significantly.
Google is also planning new YouTube Music wearable apps
Aside from Apple platforms, Google is also planning new YouTube Music apps for wearable devices. Garmin smartwatches appear to be the first target. Garmin’s Connect IQ store already has some popular music streaming apps, including Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music. Google is missing out on a few potential users and subscriptions by not making YouTube Music available on the Connect IQ store for Garmin devices.
Google also plans to release YouTube Music apps for other wearable platforms. Meanwhile, it may update existing WearOS and Apple Watch apps with new features, including offline storage for the latter. The WearOS version could get the ability to serve as a remote controller for YouTube Music on Android phones. Unfortunately, there’s no official confirmation from Google about any of these rumored plans. The company says it has “nothing to share this time.”