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Google Assistant will play podcasts from third-party services like Spotify

You won't be limited to Google Podcasts.

Nathan Ingraham/Engadget

You might not have to depend on Google Podcasts if you’re asking Assistant to play your favorite serialized audio show. Android Police and its readers have discovered that Google is adding support for third-party podcast services, starting with Spotify. You just have to visit podcast settings in Assistant to choose your provider.

We’ve asked Google if it can comment on the feature’s rollout. AP’s writer had trouble getting it to work, though it may be due to regional issues.

Whenever the feature is ready, it could be very useful whether you listen on your phone or an Assistant speaker like the Nest Audio. If you sync all your podcast listening in one app, this could keep your syncing intact no matter how you prefer to listen. Moreover, services like Spotify have exclusive podcasts that simply aren’t accessible if you rely on Assistant to reach them quickly. This opens the door to playing what you want without having to launch an app on your phone.