Google Assistant is soon to come up with new routines and deeper integrations with smartphones and wireless carriers. Google (Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)), apart from hardwiring Assistant directly into the latest Android devices, is also working with other smartphone manufacturers on ways to embed Assistant more elegantly into their devices. Today’s Google Assistant is much more advanced and capable since it made its debut version.
Google first unveiled Assistant at Google I/O in May 2016. Deployed in the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, Google brought it to smart speakers called the Google Home and then Android Wear 2.0, before it started integrating into other Android smartphones. Google has slayed with its Assistant in just about all modern Android devices with its smart AI. There is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming Google I/O developers conference 2018 which will take place from 8th to 10th May in CA.
In May last year, Google disclosed that Assistant was used on over 100 million Android devices, worldwide. In 2017, over 1.3 billion Android-powered smartphones were sold worldwide. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that Android smartphone user base swelled further in the last two quarters of 2017, resulting in more number of Assistant in Android devices.
Currently, Assistant is available on more than 400 million devices, including Google Home, Android phones and tablets, iPhones, headphones, TVs, watches and more.
Following are some major developments to look for –
- Google moved into a new realm with its own range of smart speakers- Google Home; allowing the Assistant to work with third parties to control other products with the smart AI.
- In the near future, Google’s AI assistant is coming to Android Auto, meaning you’ll soon be able to control your smart home devices right from your Car.
- Google Assistant is coming up with a multilingual support. I will grow from eight to 30 languages this year, including Hindi, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Thai, etc. It will soon detect what language you’re speaking in.
- Google Assistant is finally getting support for routines. That way, You’ll be able to accomplish multiple tasks with a single command. For example, saying “OK Google, goodnight,” for instance, could dim your Philips Hue lights, dial down the temperature on your Nest thermostat and lower the volume on your Google Home. The assistant will also give you location-based reminders.
- Soon enough, the Google assistant is coming to Smart Displays. Companies like JBL, Lenovo, Sony and LG are producing Google Assistant speakers with a screen. It’s basically a web-like view that just sits on top of Android Things.
- Now Android TV can have access to Google Assistant if you have an NVIDIA Shield TV. Also, Sony Bravia 4K TVs will also get the update to access Assistant, according to Google.
Google Assistant has proven to be groundbreaking in the technology ecosystem and penetrated in diverse industries. The service goes beyond the messaging app Allo where it debuted. Very soon we will be able to control quite a number of smart devices through Google Assistant. Google has partnered with a number of brands whose devices would be controlled by the Google Assistant.
Here’s an interesting list of the companies that might use Google Assistant.
Google Assistant is arming itself to the teeth to take on Siri, Alexa and Cortana from Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, respectively. Interestingly, Google Assistant happens to be available as a standalone app in Apple’s App Store. Can one think of the things it can do that Siri can’t?
Also in the recently concluded CES 2018 (Consumer Electronic Show), Google won the voice assistant popularity contest, thereby outperforming Alexa. Cortana and Siri were nowhere to be seen. If u believe that Alexa is an evolution, then Google’s Assistant is a whole new revolution.
