Google tidies up and removes 17 functions from the Assistant
Google wants to make its voice assistant easier to use. For this reason, the Google Assistant will have to do without 17 functions from the end of February.
No more sending emails or video and audio messages by voice. Don't set a music alarm for the next morning. No more rearranging appointments in Google Calendar by voice. Google Assistant is losing these and 14 other functions.
The voice assistant lets you say less
Google announces the changes in a blog post. They are intended to make the Google Assistant and its use even better. The focus would be on quality and reliability. The voice assistant should also be easier to use on different devices. For this reason, you will no longer be able to complete actions such as "Switch off light" or "Send message" via the microphone icon in the Android search bar. Instead, the microphone will now be used for voice searches.
In a post in the support forum, Google lists all the functions that the Assistant is losing. The company also clarifies what will continue to work and suggests more or less useful alternatives. Google Assistant will soon no longer be able to do the following things:
- Setting an alarm clock with music, radio or other media
- Send emails, video and audio messages
- Reschedule appointments in Google Calendar.
- Make payments or reservations and make social media posts.
- Play audiobooks from Google Play Books.
- Access cookbooks, transfer recipes between devices or view (video) instructions.
- Use a stopwatch on smart displays or speakers.
- Send calls or voice messages to a Google Family Group.
- Use the app launcher in Google Assistant driving mode for Google Maps.
- Schedule "Family Bell" announcements or listen to scheduled ones.
- Meditate with the Calm app.
- Control activities on the Fitbit Sense or Versa 3 by voice.
- Show a summary of sleep data on third-party smart displays.
- Display your phone number when calling via smart speakers or displays - unless you use Duo.
- Show estimated journey time to work on smart displays
- Check your travel plans
- Check information about contacts.
From 26 January, the Google Assistant will indicate that the corresponding functions will soon disappear if people use them. For most functions, 26 February is the date on which they will go to the Google graveyard.
Who mourns which function will be very different. I have already heard the first complaints:
I think removing the music alarm is a real bummer. I have a Google Assistant as my alarm clock and it plays Coldplay and stuff like that for me every morning.
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.