One of the big criticisms of Google Assistant is its lack of availability. It has only been available on the Pixel phones, Google Home, Android Wear (2.0) and inside Google Allo. Google, it now seems, were seemingly just testing it before making it more widely available. The availability set to change this week.
On Google’s blog, Gummi Hafsteinsson, has penned a piece announcing that starting this week Google Assistant is coming to smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Google Assistant will be available to “eligible Android phones running Nougat and Marshmallow with Google Play Services”. What this “eligible” means is unknown but it hopefully is not too restrictive, if at all.
Of note is that the Google blog states that “You’ll also see the Google Assistant on some newly announced partner devices, including the LG G6” — which I take to mean that there will be more devices announced this week with Google Assistant on-board.
The roll out will begin with English users in the US followed by English in Australia (yes Google did list us second in the blog), Canada and the UK as well as German speakers in Germany.
One of the most obvious uses for Google Assistant is where you cannot use your hands to search — the car. Google have said that Google Assistant will also arrive on Android Auto and Android TV soon. With so many people using Google Assistant you can be sure, it will improve exponentially.
Do you use Google Assistant? What is your main use for it?
Sorry to be dumb, but I have never really understood the difference between Google Assistant and normal OK Google. Can somebody please explain.
I’m with you Phill. Ausdroid is this really much of an improvement over the current OK Google search? Maybe you could do a comparison/review of how they differ?
Thirded!
when the dust settles from MWC I reckon we can string something together
Nice to see Australia part of the first wave of a rollout like this. Normally we get left behind on these.