A year after rolling out technology designed to make it easier (and faster) to pair Bluetooth accessories with Android devices, Google is expanding its Fast Pair ecosystem in a few key ways.
First, Google says more Bluetooth headphones and speakers will support Fast Pair soon. Second, the company is bringing Fast Pair to Chromebooks. And third, once you’ve paired a speaker or set of headphones with one device connected to your Google account, you’ll be able to use it with any supported device logged into your account.
In other words, you an imagine pairing a set of Google Pixel Buds with your phone… and you’ll be able to use them with your tablet and Chromebook without going through the pairing process again.
Fast Pair works with devices running Android 6.0 or later, and Chromebook support is coming in 2019.
But it doesn’t work with all Bluetooth audio devices — manufacturers need to work some magic on their end before you can use the feature with their hardware.
When Fast Pair first launched last year, there were only two sets of headphones that were supported… and one of them was made by Google. Now Google says it’s been working “with dozens of manufacturers” including Jaybird, Anker, and Bose and that we should see more compatible products in “the coming months.”
A solution to a problem that never existed on an Android …
Pairing on Android takes what? 1-3 sec?
But I get it, it has a nice animation to it, casuals will love it and write about it in reviews.
I wonder how long it will take for the Black Hats to take advantage of Fast Pair. Seems like it is a great way to gain access to multiple devices.