Typically, when companies announce improvements to their software products through an update, it usually includes bug fixes and new features. It is less common that instead of adding features, companies subtract thembut that’s exactly what Google does with Assistant.
The reason, according to the company, is to improve the operation and performance of its intelligent virtual assistant. The search giant announced that They’ll remove more than a dozen Assistant features which they claim are among the least used, in order to provide a better assistant experience. Less is more, some would say.
Fewer features in the Assistant, for better performance
The bone most important changes in the wizard include:
- It will no longer be possible to play audiobooks from Google Play Books
- Music or radio alarms also cannot be set on devices that support Google Assistant.
- It will not be possible to use your voice to send an email or an audio or video message
- They eliminate the function of rescheduling or changing the date of an event in Google Calendar
- It will also not be possible to ask the Assistant for information about your contacts
- It will also not be possible to perform certain actions with your voice, such as posting on social networks or sending a payment, among others.
The company offers alternatives and other solutions to perform these actions: you can still listen to audiobooks from your mobile (in the corresponding application), you can make calls and send text messages (but not voice messages), you can create new events in Calendar , and of course, Assistant can still open installed apps
Google says these are just some of the features and functions that have been affected, although they don’t explain exactly how removing these possibilities improves the experience. But again, this may be related to focus efforts on the most used functions
The company also changed the way Assistant is accessed from the Google app and from the search bar. Previously, pressing the microphone-shaped button activated Google’s virtual assistant, but now Pressing this button will initiate a voice search instead of launching Assistant. According to Google, this is the most used feature.
All these changes will be available from January 26. The question we ask ourselves is whether this is related to the integration of Bard, Google’s new artificial intelligence, into Assistant and how this will change the way of using the virtual assistant on mobile phones in the future close.
More information | Google
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