Google Assistant Updates

 
The Google Assistant is going global

Android users are all around the world, so from the start, our goal has been to bring the Assistant to as many people, languages, and locations as possible. The Assistant is already available in eight languages, and by the end of the year it will be available in more than 30 languages, reaching 95 percent of all eligible Android phones worldwide. In the next few months, we’ll bring the Assistant to Danish, Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish and Thai on Android phones and iPhones, and we’ll add more languages on more devices throughout the year.

We’re also making the Assistant multilingual later this year, so families or individuals that speak more than one language can speak naturally to the Assistant. With this new feature, the Assistant will be able to understand you in multiple languages fluently. If you prefer to speak German at work, but French at home, your Assistant is right there with you. Multilingual will first be available in English, French and German, with support for more languages coming over time.
 
More ways to use the Google Assistant, from your phone to your fridge

Google Developers Blog: New creative ways to build with Actions on Google

Starting today, thanks to a new feature for Actions called Custom Device Actions, device makers can extend the Assistant and add “native” functionality specific to their device. For example, if a washer has a specific color cycle, you could activate that cycle simply by asking the Google Assistant.

Notifications. You’ll soon be able to subscribe to notifications on your phone from your favorite Actions, so you can hear about a newly added workout, a change in a stock price, or a news alert, right when it happens. For example, Esquire can send you daily “wisdom tips” to start your day off with a little sage advice and you can ask Forbes for a “quote of the day.”
Better media playback. Starting today, Actions will support media playback on speakers and Android phones, giving you access to more audio experiences like longer meditation sessions, relaxing sounds, clips from your favorite TV shows and news briefings. With this update, you can also easily pause or replay audio with your voice, or when you’re on your phone, you’ll see a media player you can tap to pause, replay, or even turn the screen off while the audio keeps playing. With The Daily Show Action, for example, you can listen to the latest full and extended interviews.
New Actions. We recently launched a handful of new Actions for the Assistant, so if you’re in the mood for some inspiration, to listen to music, a quick trivia game or a good laugh, give these a whirl: American Idol, Trivia from iHeartRadio, Calm, The Mindfulness App and more.
 
[Update: Live] Google Assistant will have 6 routines at launch and each one has a limited set of actions

Good Morning:
take your phone off silent (only if initiated via an Android device) and adjust the media volume
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
tell you today's weather, commute, calendar, reminders
play music or news or radio or podcasts (where you left off) or audiobooks (where you left off)

Bedtime:
put your phone on silent (only if initiated via an Android device) and adjust the media volume
tell you tomorrow's weather and first calendar event
set an alarm
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
play music (with a sleep timer) or sleep sounds

Leaving home:
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more

I'm home:
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
broadcast to your Home speakers that you're home
tell you home reminders (location-based)
adjust media volume
play music, news, radio, podcasts, audiobooks

Commuting to work (only available on Android and iOS):
tell you about today's commute, weather, calendar, reminders
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
adjust the media volume
play music, news, radio, podcasts

Commuting home (only available on Android and iOS):
tell you about your commute
adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
send texts and read unread texts
broadcast to your Home speakers that you're on the way
adjust the media volume
play music, news, radio, or podcasts.
 

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