Google Assistant gets dedicated button on new phones, integrates with Messages app

News Wireless Global 25 FEB 2019
Google Assistant gets dedicated button on new phones, integrates with Messages app

Google announced new features for its Assistant on smartphones, including a dedicated button on many new handsets. In addition it's adding support for new languages and integrating the Google Assistant in its Messages app. 

LG launched last year the first Android smartphone with a dedicated button for the Google Assistant. At MWC, LG announced its new G8 and K40 will also have an Assistant button, and Nokia has added the button on its 3.2 and 4.2 smartphones released in Barcelona. Xiaomi (including the Mi Mix 3 5G and Mi 9), TCL and Vivo (including the V15 Pro) will also launch devices with the Google Assistant button later this year. With these partnerships, Google expects over 100 million devices to launch with a dedicated Google Assistant button.

Messages integration

The Google Assistant will also be integrated in more apps, starting with Messages. Over the coming months for English users around the globe, Messages will start showing suggestions from the Google Assistant, such as information on movies, restaurants and weather, similar to Google's 'Smart Replays'. The Messages app uses on-device AI to offer suggestions relevant to the conversation; information isn’t sent to the Google Assistant until the user taps on the Assistant suggestion. From there, they can decide if they want to share that information back into the conversation.

The Assistant can also help look something up during a chat in Messages. A long press on the Home button with the Messages app open on the phone will launch the Assistant.

Additional language support on the Google Assistant now includes the Indian languages Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam and Urdu. Users can also switch between more languages, using any language pairing from Korean, Hindi, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch, in addition to the initial multilingual options English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian.

Speech to text on KaiOS

Google also confirmed that new Assistant features will be coming to phones running KaiOS, the entry-level software it supports for 'smart' feature phones. Over the coming months, the company will launch Voice Typing on KaiOS, so the Assistant can help translate speech to text. Users will be able to dictate text messages, web searches or anything else that has a text field. They can also keep the phone's settings in English while using a different language for the Google Assistant.

Categories:

Mobile

Companies:

Nokia,  Google,  TCL,  Vivo,  Xiaomi

Regions:

Global

Tags:

Messaging, Launch, Product specifications & quality, IT - applications, Handsets

Related Articles

BELGIUM 28 MAY 2019

Google Assistant launches in Belgium; Proximus, Telenet introduce skills

Google has started rolling out a Belgian version of its Google Assistant software. Partners such as Proximus and Telenet have also introduced support for the voice-controlled assistant on their platforms.

GLOBAL 20 MAR 2019

ALE, Quicktext to launch AI-powered voice assistant service for guestrooms

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise and Quicktext, a guest communications platform for hotels, will launch a joint AI-powered voice assistant service for hotel guestrooms. The first joint service will be available on the market in the fourth quarter. Quicktext will interface Alcatel-Lucent Rainbow APIs to offer voice-command services to guests and employees on room sets and mobile devices. The APIs are based on open-standards technologies for hospitality.

GLOBAL 14 MAR 2019

Google releases first beta of Android Q for Pixel users

Google has released the first beta of Android Q, the next version of the mobile operating system, for users of its Pixel smartphones. The company said Android Q brings a number of additional privacy and security features for users, as well as enhancements for foldables, new APIs for connectivity, new media codecs and camera capabilities, and faster app startup. A preview SDK is also available for developers. The company will release more details of the new OS at its developers conference Google I/O in May. 

GLOBAL 25 FEB 2019

KaiOS launches own ads platform, Life content apps

KaiOS Technologies, the developer of an HTML5-based operating system for feature phones, announced new services at MWC19 to expand its ecosystem. These include the KaiAds platform and Life, a content platform to help first-time internet users using KaiOS phones in Africa and southeast Asia.

GLOBAL 13 FEB 2019

Google narrows Android Things focus to smart speakers and displays

Google announced that it's narrowing the focus of its Android Things IoT platform to smart speakers and smart displays. Google said it has seen the most success with these product categories and so will refocus Android Things as a platform for OEM partners to build devices in those categories moving forward. Support for production modules based on NXP, Qualcomm and MediaTek chips will not be made available through the public developer platform any longer.

GLOBAL 7 JAN 2019

Google, Apple put emphasis on smart home during CES

Google is expected to be available on 1 billion devices by the end of January, from 500 million in May. The assistant is now available in nearly 30 languages and 80 countries, from 8 languages and 14 countries last year.  The assistant now comes in 8 new voices. Also, at CES, Apple invited reporters to companies announcing new products this year set to connect to Apple's HomeKit platform for smart home devices, TechCrunch reported. Integration will make the products configurable via Apple devices, through

GLOBAL 6 DEC 2018

Google to shut down smart messaging app Allo

Google announced it's discontinuing its messaging app Allo. First launched in 2016, the app introduced artificial intelligence features to messaging, such as 'smart reply', as well as an 'incognito' mode for increased privacy. Google said its Messages app has proven more popular and it will focus on that instead going forward.

GLOBAL 3 OCT 2018

Google launches Android app that uses only voice commands

Google has unveiled a new Android app that works using voice-only commands. Voice Access lets people navigate through apps, compose and edit text, and talk to the Google Assistant. Users can use a voice command to "click" buttons and controls within apps, or scroll and navigate app screens. It is especially aimed at people with impairments or diseases that cause impairments, but the company said it can also be used by people juggling multiple tasks and who want to keep their hands free.

GLOBAL 24 AUG 2018

LG to introduce Google Assistant on TVs in 7 more markets

LG will introduce the Google Assistant on its TVs in seven more markets, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom, with support in up to five languages. This means even more LG TV customers will be able to use the Google Assistant on their 2018 TVs with AI ThinQ in the fourth quarter. 

GLOBAL 9 MAY 2018

Google expands AI features in updates to Assistant, Maps, Gmail

Google is taking its focus on artificial intelligence further with a slew of announcements at its annual developers conference to make its services such as Google Assistant, Gmail, Photos and Google Maps smarter. New features include 'smart compose' to help write emails, 'continued conversations' for improving interaction with Google Assistant, automatic tips to improve photo quality and a more social experience on Google Maps to recommend destinations and interact with contacts. 

GLOBAL 4 MAY 2018

Google Assistant expands to over 5,000 devices

Google announced that its voice-controlled digital assistant now works with over 5,000 devices, up from 1,500 this January. Customers can use the Google Assistant to control cameras, dishwashers, doorbells, dryers, lights, plugs, thermostats, security systems, switches, vacuums, washers, fans, locks, sensors, heaters, AC units, air purifiers, refrigerators, ovens and more products. 

GLOBAL 25 APR 2018

Google updates Gmail with new confidential mode

Google announced an update of its Gmail service with a range of new features, including help at managing replies, spam and confidential messages. The update also extends to business users, which can benefit from a new 'confidential' mode to better protect critical communications. 

Just In

19 DEC 16:42

SLT-Mobitel launches 5G network in Sri Lanka

19 DEC 16:19

Dialog Axiata launches 5G network, connects 1.5 million subscribers

19 DEC 15:56

UK govt to ban AI-enabled nudification apps to protect women, girls

19 DEC 15:42

3 UK launches last-minute Christmas sale

Commentary

13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

15:26

Stock markets breaking records but what happened to Odido's IPO plans?

Background

01:04

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation

01:39

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold

13:51

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash

14:16

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins

Complete profile

Before downloading the whitepaper, we would like to ask you to complete your profile with company and position. After confirming you will receive the white paper.