For the first time ever, you can watch Netflix content on a smart display thanks to compatibility with the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.
While you could always watch Netflix on mobile devices, including tablets, the streaming video service hasn’t been compatible with the new slate of smart displays, which are effectively smart, voice controlled speakers but with the addition of screens.
Kate Whittington, Product Marketing Manager for Google Nest confirmed the news in a blog post, noting that owners of the two smart displays can now do things like keep up with their latest binge watching obsession while doing things like cooking in the kitchen.
Netflix is rolling out to Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max devices globally, wherever the service and Nest devices are sold. To access your existing Netflix account, just link it to the Google Home or Assistant app. Once set up, you can play movies, TV series, and more from the smart display, queuing up what you want using a simple voice command. Say, “Hey Google, play Queer Eye,” for example, and the show will start streaming, or say, “Hey Google, open Netflix” and scroll through the content to decide what to watch and tap on it when you find it. Once a show or movie is playing, you can pause, play, skip forward, or rewind using your voice, ideal if your hands are dirty while you’re busy making dinner or ironing clothes. Use Quick Gestures to pause or resume a video by simply looking at the device and raising your hand.
Other streaming services that work with the smart displays include CBS All Access, Sling TV, Peacock, Disney+, HBO Max, Showtime, and Hulu, some of which are only available in the U.S. In many cases, you can simply “cast” the content from your mobile device, like a smartphone or tablet, to the smart display to start watching there and be able to control playback using your voice.