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Can it play from Google Play?

  • 8 November 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 7536 views
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Hi,

I currently have all of my music on Google Play, is there (or will there) be any way for this to be played using Alexa?

The reason why it is on Google Play is that I have all my CDs ripped and uploaded (as Google provide more songs than Amazon does).
I understand that Amazon and Google are rivals but from my understand how this works is that the command is sent to Sonos API, so could this work?

Thanks.
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Best answer by melvimbe 8 November 2017, 18:56

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4 replies

melvimbe
Currently, you cannot initiate play for Google Play from Alexa. You can pause, control volume and such.

You are correct that these commands go through the Sonos cloud, but only after it passes through the Alexa cloud. Alexa doesn't pass the command to Sonos till it processes and 'understands' what you're requesting. Alexa doesn't pass the command blindly, as it does with a lot of other skills. It essentially ends up acting like a filter.

Of course, since Amazon doesn't have a lot of interest in supporting Google Play, and Google doesn't really want to help sell echos, we may never get this feature. What is much more likely to happen, is that the Sonos starts working with the Google voice assistant, so users married to Google Play can opt to use that instead of Alexa. That's all subject to the business negotiations, marketing and such though.
Danny
S
Alexa doesn't pass the command blindly, as it does with a lot of other skills. It essentially ends up acting like a filter.

It seems safe to assume whatever is set as the default music service (Spotify is now a choice) gets specified in what goes from Alexa to Sonos. Too bad we can't intercept it and substitute our own string in place of Amazon Music, Spotify, etc..

If the command goes through the Alexa cloud, but then comes back to the Echo and from there to a Sonos device, there's no way. But if the last hop is from the cloud to one or more Sonos devices, there would be a way. With the right router, one could rewrite the intercepted string. Actually, even then, it would probably be SSL and not in a way where you could make your own CA trusted. Dangit. Stupid Amazon vs. Google BS.
D
This is a sad disservice to consumers. I'm kind of sorry I got the Sonos because of Alexa's limitations. Very annoying.
D
And even if you make a Google play playlist a Sonos favorite, you still can't initiate it by voice. Sux!
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