Google is not expected to launch anything major at the Mobile World Congress this year but they are still making some announcements, particularly with its Google Assistant. They have now unveiled some new things they have in store for users of the voice digital assistant, which include having more phones with the Google Assistant dedicated button, adding supported languages and bringing more things to do on feature phone platform KaiOS. Expanding Google Assistant’s market seems to be a primary goal for the tech giant this year and adding features is one way to do so.
We’ve already previously talked about how Google Assistant will now be available in the Messages for Android app. They will also soon be expanding its actions within various Google apps. For example, they will be bringing Assistant to Google Maps with support for all Assistant phone languages. We’ll probably see more features and supported languages in other Google apps as well.
They are also adding more devices that will have a dedicated Google Assistant button. This will include new devices from LG and Nokia then later on for Xiaomi, TCL, and Vivo. They are also making what the button does more standard like a single press will launch the Assistant, a double press will bring your information feed and a long press will start a “walkie talkie” mode. However, OEMs will not be allowed to remap the button like what Samsung is letting users eventually do with the dedicated Bixby button.
KaiOS, a feature phone platform that Google has invested in, will also be getting new Google Assistant features. You can press and hold the Assistant button and then start dictating text messages, web searches. You can also keep your default language in the phone to English but use a different supported language for Google Assistant.
Speaking of, Google is adding 8 Indic languages in its list of supported languages. And now it is also adding more options to its dual-language support. Previously you could only switch between either English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Italian. Now you can add Korean, Hindi, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Dutch to the list.
SOURCE: Google
