Google has updated its Android YouTube app to support AirPlay-like sharing of videos to Google TV devices. Any videos discovered on Android phones or tablets can be sent across simply by pushing a new "TV" button in-app. Google says that the update will let the set-top box automatically pair with any Android devices found on the same Wi-Fi network, allowing phones or tablets to be used as remote controls. Just like the Nexus Q, multiple Android devices can be connected to a Google TV simultaneously, letting friends collaborate on a shared video playlist.
Google is still keeping quiet about the fate of the Nexus Q, but taking such a key piece of functionality from the now-absent device — combined with Google's silence when asked about the product — isn't good news. It’s possible that Google has abandoned the project altogether and is salvaging features for Google TV, especially when devices like the Vizio Co-Star have dramatically lowered the cost of entry. And if Google decides to apply the same pairing functionality to Music, then the Nexus Q’s fate truly will be sealed.