Google has announced plans to bring a series of updates to Google Assistant. These include two new core features, support for more languages, and deeper integrations with third-party devices.
New Features
In the coming weeks, Google Assistant will be updated with routines and location-based reminders. Routines are a customized series of events that are performed when a particular command is spoken. For example, saying “OK Google, I’m home” could trigger the Assistant to turn on the lights, share home reminders, play your favorite music, and so on.
Google will soon be rolling out the ability to set reminders with a smart speaker. In addition, there will be all-new support for location-based reminders. For example, you can set a reminder to submit a report to your boss, and the Assistant will remind you when you get to work.
More Languages
Google Assistant will be available in over 30 languages by the end of the year, which is a considerable step up from the current 8 languages.
The next languages to be supported in the immediate future include:
- Danish
- Dutch
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Norwegian
- Swedish
- Thai
Later this year Google Assistant will receive multilingual support, so families that speak multiple languages can talk to the Assistant more naturally.
Deeper Integrations
Google wants to make the Assistant more phone-friendly, so it has been working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring all the Assistant’s capabilities to non-Google Android phones. This will be made possible through Google’s new Assistant Mobile OEM program.
The program allows device makers to build deeper integrations between the Assistant and device features. Such deeper integrations may include device-specific commands, listening for “OK Google” when the screen is off, integrations with hardware-based AI chips, and more.
Phone carriers will also be able to develop their own custom integrations with Google Assistant. This could be useful if you wanted to use the Assistant to do things like make changes to your phone plan or get the balance of your bill.
Expect these changes to be rolled out over the next few weeks.
