We’re still a few weeks away from finding out officially what the LG G6 is all about, but of course rumors and leaks about LG’s newest flagship are already flying around. One of the newest is that the upcoming smartphone may become the first non-Pixel device that will have Google Assistant, the upgraded AI voice assistant service from the tech giant. This is part of LG’s plans to strengthen partnerships with companies like Google and even Amazon.
LG is reportedly in talks with the two companies to build more integration between them and the new products they will be introducing this year. If ever Google Assistant will indeed be part of the LG G6, it will actually be the first smartphone to do so in LG’s native South Korea since the Pixel devices aren’t yet available there. This will be a good turn for them locally since their smartphone business has been struggling of late.
LG’s next smartwatches will also reportedly be developed by Google but under the former’s brand name. The next one, which will be announced next month, will reportedly be the first smartwatch to run on the much delayed Android Wear 2.0. There might also be something coming up with Amazon, since some of LG’s appliances are already using their AI technology Alexa.
The LG G6 is expected to be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona late next month. Expect more news about this as LG tries to get back into the game after the relative failure of the modular LG G5.
VIA: Business Korea
My wife and I already have Google Assistant on our 2014 Moto Maxx XT1225 phones.
That’s the power of rooting your phone and becoming the real owner — instead of the carrier or manufacturer. Xposed module “Assistant Enabler”. It can be installed on just about any phone that is rooted. Even on Nougat (Android 7.0) phones on which Xposed framework can’t yet be installed, there are other workarounds to get Google Assistant. But you have to be the admin of your own phone. In Android it’s called rooting. You control your own phone, can install what you want, and uninstall what you want, change other settings — even block ads.
One person with a rooted 2014 Verizon Droid Turbo (same phone as the Moto Maxx XT1225 — just like an LG G3 is an LG G3, no matter where sold — only Verizon demanded an Motorola give theirs an “exclusive name”) went into the Verizon store to look at the Google Pixel phones. As one of the selling points, the Verizon salespeson declared, “Only the Google Pixel phones have Google Assistant!”
The Droid Turbo guy smirked, held up his phone and said, “You mean like this? ‘OK Google'” — and his phone automatically unlocked and Google Assistant replied “How can I help you?”
The Verizon employee’s eyes opened wide and he said “What phone is that?”
It’s Verizon 2014 Droid Turbo.
1) Don’t you know your own phones?
2) Don’t believe your own sales hype all the time.