Google Assistant was the company’s revamped version of Google Now, with a slew of new features added to the mix. However, it was initially limited to Pixel phones. But Assistant is now available on almost every new Android smartphone and tablet. It’s not a life-changing feature, but Android users can use Assistant as their default virtual assistant, making sure they have easy access to the feature.
At the I/O event, Google announced that Assistant was all set to become more chatty in the coming months. Scott Huffman, VP of Engineering at Google, mentioned that over 70% of the requests handled by Google Assistant are in natural language, paving the way for a better future. “The Google Assistant should be hands-down the easiest way to get things done. We’re starting to crack the hard computer science of conversationality,” Huffman added.
So not only has Google added integration for Lens within Assistant but also tweaked it around a bit to make it smarter. Users will be able to interact with the objects around them using Assistant and Lens, which is one of the biggest updates we’re going to see. Assistant is pretty smart as it is, and is rated highly above some other voice assistants out there.
But it’s good to see that Google is not quite satisfied with the work that it’s done with Assistant and is striving to do more. There have been reports that Apple is looking for an overhaul of Siri when it launches a new home assistant device to combat the likes of the Amazon Echo and Google Home. This product is expected to break cover in early June during the WWDC conference.
Keeping this in mind, we can expect things to heat up pretty quickly in the AI department. Amazon is currently leading the pack with its Alexa-powered Echo devices, and the inclusion of Apple will only make things more competitive. Google Home is yet to make a major impact on the market, but the fact that Assistant is available on all Android devices is a big plus.
The new Google Assistant features will take some time to hit devices, so don’t expect to find it on your devices right away.
