How and When You Can Access Critical Future Google Assistant Features
Google Assistant, aptly named AI assistant, is having a great year in 2019. The digital assistant will not only be rolled out to many old and new devices, but there will also be many new features, some of which were showcased at CES 2019 last week.
It’s a long list of upcoming Google Assistant updates, and it can tire you out trying to parse all the different ads and keep track of when these new features are finally available. To help, we’ve prepared a quick rundown detailing the best and most important updates coming to Google Assistant in the next few months, including which devices these new features have been announced for, their expected release dates, and how to enable them (if available. ).
Interpreter mode
By far the most touted new Assistant feature at CES was the Interpreter Mode. Translator Mode will expand on Google Assistant’s already existing bilingual features by offering real-time translation from one language to another on the Google Home Hub smart display, acting as a translator between two parties who otherwise don’t speak the same language (s).
It may sound similar to Google’s previous attempt at real-time translation on the Pixel Bud wireless earbuds, but translator mode is a much more elegant embodiment of the concept.
Voice commands such as “Ok Google help me translate” will activate the translator mode in the Google Home Hub. As long as the language is supported, Google Assistant will automatically recognize the language spoken. Any speech he hears will then be translated through the Google Home Hub speakers and transcribed on the device’s screen. The function will launch with 27 supported languages:
- Arab
- Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin)
- Czech
- Danish
- Dutch
- English
- Finnish
- French
- Deutsch
- Greek
- Hindi
- Hungarian
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Slovak
- Spanish language
- Swedish
- Thai
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
Practical reports on the interpreter regime were mostly positive , but not perfect. The lag between participants speaking and the device’s translation is just long enough at this point, making the interaction slow and a little awkward. And depending on the level of ambient noise and the clarity of speech, sometimes Google Assistant doesn’t hear a word or two correctly. Fortunately, Google has time to set everything up before it is fully deployed.
Translator Mode is currently in beta testing at select hotels in Las Vegas, New York, and San Francisco, but Google says the feature will be available to consumers on the Google Home Hub during the first few months of 2019 and will roll out. to other smart devices. soon after that.
Automatic punctuation
Google Assistant will now automatically add punctuation marks to sentences – no tweaks or special voice commands required.
The AI Assistant recognizes when to add the correct punctuation – such as commas, periods and question marks – based on the context, tone and frequency of your voice, and pause / pause, which means you no longer have to say the word “dot” when you want to add it by dictating a text message. However, because of this, it would probably be wise to train Google Assistant to recognize your voice, for which we have a guide.
Punctuation mode is currently available on all Google Assistant-enabled devices – just make sure you update your device OS and the Google Assistant app ( Android , iOS ).
Integration with Google Maps
Google Assistant is now integrated directly into Google Maps – even on devices that would not otherwise have built-in Google Assistant support, such as iOS devices.
Google Assistant adds new features to Google Maps, such as allowing users to share their arrival times, respond to text messages with voice, control music and audio playback, search with voice commands, and make phone calls — all within the Google Maps app.
The Assistant version for Maps also has a unique interface that’s been designed with driving in mind, which means it’s almost completely hands-free and uses easy-to-view elements on the screen so you don’t get distracted from the road.
The update, which contains a version of Google Maps integrated with the assistant, began rolling out last December and is now available on both Android and iOS devices (although iOS users will have to download the Google Maps app if they haven’t already). If you have not updated the Google Maps app, you can do so on the App page in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store .
Accessing the lock screen for other Android devices
Initially only available on Pixel 3 phones, lock screen access allows users to call Google Assistant with the “Ok Google” command even when your device is locked, although using Google Assistant this way has limited functionality, allowing users to check personal results from their inbox. your Gmail account (or other connected email accounts); Google Calendar; saved contacts; and memory aids such as event reminders and shopping lists that you create. Some commands will also require you to unlock your phone in order to receive an answer from the Assistant.
While the announcement promised that the feature would roll out to more Android devices in the coming months, there were no specific devices or release windows. That said, regardless of which devices end up getting the update, it’s worth noting that lock screen access must be enabled in the Google Assistant settings menu. Here’s how to do it on a Pixel 3 phone (and we can safely assume it will be a lot like devices supporting lock screen access in the future):
- Bring up the Google Assistant by either saying “Ok Google” or by pressing and holding the Home button.
- Tap the exploration icon (similar to a compass), then tap the three folded dots in the upper right corner and tap Settings.
- From here go to Assistant> Devices for Assistants> select your phone .
- In this menu, enable Voice Match Access and Personal Lock Screen Results .
Track flights and check boarding passes
Google Assistant will also ease travel stress when new flight tracking and boarding pass features arrive in the coming months.
Users will be able to go through pre-flight check-in, security screening and check baggage through their phone interface, after which they will be presented with a boarding pass right on your device.
These features are technically available now, but only to a limited extent for U.S. domestic flights on United Airlines. While this is an obvious maneuver to compete with Apple Wallet’s boarding pass features on iOS, Apple Wallet has been around for longer and supports a lot more airlines, so it will take Google Assistant a while to get really competitive here. Google hasn’t made any specific public plans as to when users can expect more airlines or support for international flights.
Hotel reservation
Not only will you be able to rely on Google Assistant for your flight plans, but now Google Assistant can handle your hotel reservations as well. You can ask the Assistant to find nearby hotels, view listings for specific dates, and book rooms through Choice Hotels, AccorHotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Priceline, Expedia, Mirai and Travelclick. It is now available for US users.
More announcements in 2019
We only have a few weeks out of the year, so this is by no means a comprehensive overview of all the updates or Google Assistant features that can be expected in 2019. And Google predicts that 1 billion devices will be running some version of Google Assistant by the end. January is a figure covering nearly 10,000 products from over 1,000 brands, including Samsung, Lenovo, Anker, JBL, Kitchenaid, Sonos, McAfee and many more to be added to the list in 2019. We expect to hear a lot more about AI. assistant in the coming months and will keep you updated on how to use the best new features.