Google has presented a range of new products at its annual developers conference, Google I/O. The offering includes a strong focus on artificial intelligence features and machine learning, which Google said have progressed quickly in recent years, making new applications possible. "Progress in all of these areas is accelerating, and we believe we are at a seminal moment," the company said. "People are increasingly interacting naturally with Google, and aren’t just looking for the world’s information but actually expecting Google to help them with their daily tasks."
Google Assistant is its new personal assistant software, that responds to voice commands and questions. Google Assistant will be integrated into new products to help users make Google searches and complete online tasks, such as find cinema times, buy tickets or look up an address. One of the first products to feature the software is Google Home, a voice-activated speaker that can stream music and also help manage daily tasks such as calendar integration, Google searches or interaction with smart home products like the thermostat made by Google's Nest Labs. Google said the Home will be available in a range of colours and materials later this year.
The other new product using Google Assistance is the messaging app Allo. In addition to integrating Google searches and information in chats, the Allo app differs from other messaging apps with its 'Smart Reply' feature. This can suggest standard replies to messages based on context and learning the user's patterns; the reply may be text, emojis, stickers or photos. Google also added an 'Incognito mode' to Allo, with end-to-end encryption, discreet notifications, and message expiration, to respond to growing concerns about privacy.
In addition, Google introduced the companion app Duo for one-to-one video calling. The company said Duo is designed to make video calling faster and more reliable, even on slower network speeds. It comes with a feature called Knock Knock, which gives the call recipient a preview of the live video of the caller before answering. Both apps will be available this summer and are based on phone numbers, so will work across Android and iOS.
Google's other big news was a virtual reality platform called Daydream. This includes both hardware and software for device makers and developers to go along with Android N. Google's 'Cardboard 2.0' is a headset and handheld controller for viewing VR content. It will not be sold directly to consumers, but offered to developers and manufacturers to help make products supporting VR. Google will also certify Android devices as 'Daydream ready', and the first devices are expected to launch this autumn. Samsung, HTC, Alcatel, Asus, Huawei, Xiaomi, LG and ZTE all plan to make Daydream-ready phones, Google said.
At I/O, Google also gave an update on the next version of the Android operating system. Known as Android N during the development phase, Google is asking for online suggestions for an official name. The company also previewed a new version of Android Wear, its OS for wearable devices, and showed a new system called Android Instant Apps, for running apps without installing them on the phone. Instant Apps will roll out gradually to developers, allowing them to use the same APIs and code. Users will be able to tap on a URL and open only the features of the app they need, without downloading the app from the Play Store.
