A Closer Look: Google TV and YouTube Integration

Earlier today we reported that the latest YouTube app update allowed you to share and control YouTube videos on your Google TV directly from your favorite Android smartphone or tablet. Not only is this insanely fun, this is the start of something big. Remember last summer when the Nexus Q launched? Almost immediately the Android and Google TV community collectively wanted these features to come together to form something truly amazing. We wanted to embrace Google’s vision of being open. We wanted to take our content with us, anywhere. Thanks to the latest round of Google TV and Android app updates for YouTube, today is the first step towards that vision.

How does it all work? It’s actually quite simple. The functionality works automatically. All you need to do is have your phone or tablet on the same WiFi network as your Google TV device and the devices pair themselves for you. After you’ve done that, launch the YouTube app on your Android device and find a video you wish to play on the big screen. Just tap the TV-shaped icon up top, near the Share button and you’re all set.

Now this is where the fun begins. You can add additional videos to the TV Queue. While that video is playing, simply search for a new video and tap the TV-shaped icon again. The video is automatically added to the queue. The true power of this new functionality shines when you have multiple users wanting to join in on the fun. Other users and devices, while on the same WiFi network, can control the videos just as you can. They can add videos to the queue and they can pause, play, and skip currently playing videos.

Maybe you’re having a party and want to queue up your favorite music videos? Maybe you and your friends want to queue up the latest TED Talks. Not into TED, that’s fine, queue up your favorite memes and viral videos for tons of late night laughs. Don’t forget about YouTube TV Shows such as the all new Battlestar Galactica. Or, maybe you’re going to have an Android geekout session and you queue up a few episodes of Android Authority On Air? YouTube has an insane amount of content to watch. There’s something for everyone.

Even though adding YouTube video after YouTube video to your Google TV queue is quite fun and easy with friends, it does have one slight drawback at this time. You cannot edit your queue. Make sure your guests know this before adding every remix of Gangnam Style to your queue. If that happens, you can easily skip past those or close your YouTube apps and start from scratch.

EDIT: To remove items from you queue, view the TV Queue and then tap the blue arrow located on the bottom right corner of each thumbnail. You’ll have the option to remove the video.

Now, all that we need is for this functionality to come to Google Play Music and Google Play Movies & TV and we’ll be golden.

NOTE: Some users have reported having to manually pair their devices. Please be sure that both your YouTube application on your Google TV has been updated and you’re running the latest Google TV OTA update for your device.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7orrDq6ainJGqwam70aKrsmaTpLpwr8uoqp6qXaG8sLeMoKaon5yaerXCjJqlnWWppMK1wcGeZKKmpJq0s63ToqanZWFofnJ%2Bkmg%3D