While the wait was longer than expected, Sonos has announced today that Google Assistant is now available for Sonos One and Beam. The update is rolling out to customers in the US with wider availability later this year.

With this release, Sonos is increasing the value of its players by allowing you to switch between Alexa and Google Assistant. The update to enable this functionality is free but Sonos speakers are typically more expensive than other devices in the same category; that being said, for those that have the speakers (myself included), they are typically well received.

The value of Sonos is the simplicity of the hardware. Plug the speakers in, add them to your account, and it can create a whole-home audio setup without the need to run speaker wire through the walls. If you are only planning on buying one speaker for your home, Sonos likely isn’t the right option for you.

To add Google Assistant to your Sonos speakers:

1. Go to “Voice Services” in the Sonos app under Settings
2. Select Google Assistant
3. Follow the guided setup process

Aside from having a speaker that can switch between Alexa and Google Assistant, there isn’t anything too special here. Google Assistant has many of the same features you find on other devices, like Google’s own speakers, but for those who don’t want to use Amazon’s assistant, this is a welcomed update.

Once my devices receive the update, I’ll report back if there are any issues. Based on the announcements and what I have experienced with the beta, this is a simple process that brings the Google Assistant to the Beam and One but don’t expect it to change your life in any meaningful way.

Tagged with Google Assistant, Sonos