Google offers Fast Pair with Windows, ChromeOS and Android TV

Google announced it themselves last night during the keynote of CES 2022Where they laid the future of Android. This future is all about connectivity and optimizing the connectivity of different devices and operating systems. “For the first time in the history of Android, we are focusing on other platforms,” he said during the presentation. Fast Pair, Google’s counterpart to Apple Airplay, should be become the trump card to achieve this goal.

Google will be introducing Fast Pair to more devices in the coming weeks and months. First it will be Google’s ChromeOS. With Fast Pair, your Chromebook will detect and connect to Bluetooth headphones near the device faster. The same feature will also be available on Android TV and Google TV. You can also use the feature to transfer data like your Google account and WiFi password from your smartphone when you install a new Chromebook.

To improve this integration between Android and ChromeOS, Google is also working with the Phone Hub in ChromeOS to display WhatsApp messages directly on your Chromebook without having to install the messaging app on your device.

Windows quick pairing

But Google is also looking beyond its own Fast Pair products. For example, the tech giant also announced that it is teaming up with Acer, HP, and Intel to bring the feature to Windows PCs as well. This should help to connect your Android smartphone to your PC faster and exchange files and messages between both devices. This will reach “a few laptops”, and no further details have been released on the matter.

If you think it stops there, Fast Pair can also come with all smart home devices that support the Matter protocol to connect them together. Finally, there is a function of bluetooth speakers on the table to switch more seamlessly between different devices. This means that when your headphones are connected to your TV and you receive a call, the headphones themselves will switch to your smartphone to receive the call.