Google Unveils ‘Hold Close to Cast’ Feature for UWB Pixel Phones and Tablets

In the era of streaming, moving media between devices has become simpler, and with Google’s new “Hold close to cast” feature currently available on Pixel Pro smartphones and the Pixel tablet—you can effortlessly transfer what you are watching without any setup.

When using the charging speaker dock, the tablet can be securely locked in Hub Mode. At the same time, your pixel phone will need to be unlocked (the music app does not need to be open). You will see pill-shaped prompts much like Watch Unlock appear at the top of your phone to indicate its status and whether you are close enough; once the transfer is complete, an “Undo” button will briefly light up, giving you an easy way to revert if needed.

On the Pixel Tablet, a radiant glow hints at the location of the phone, accompanied by a prominent logo of your favourite streaming app.

The reciprocal feature might be a little tricky if your handheld device is not swiftly out of the way; the tablet will try to send the song back to your phone, but it is still a handy option for when you are on the move.

To cast, simply enable the Hold close setting on your phone, although it is absent on the Pixel Tablet and has not been successful on Android 15 QPR1 Beta.

The Pixel Tablet really missed the mark by not launching alongside the Dock in June 2023, as it could have showcased the perks of owning both a Google phone and a tablet, but now that it is available, those who skipped the Dock might just be tempted to grab it.

‘Hold Close to Cast’ Feature Explained

The last week’s Pixel Drop introduced an exciting new feature called “Hold close to cast,” enabling you to effortlessly transfer your music from one device to another by simply bringing them together—just pause the track on your smartphone, and it seamlessly continues playing on your Pixel tablet

To enjoy seamless casting with your Pro-tier Pixel phone, like the Pixel 6 Pro, 7 Pro, Fold, or the latest nine models, simply connect it to a docked Pixel Tablet and ensure that both devices are linked to the same private Wi-Fi network.