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Google's voice-controlled AI Assistant comes to the iPhone
You no longer need to install the Allo messaging app on your iPhone to shoot the breeze with Google's AI Assistant. During the company's I/O keynote, Google's Scott Huffman announced that the Assistant is truly coming to the iPhone today, as was rumored earlier this week. With its standalone app, you'll be able to interact with the Assistant using your voice, whether that means asking it questions or controlling your smart home devices with conversational commands. Before now, you could only get limited Assistant functionality through Allo, which also required you to type queries and orders into the chat app.
Google Assistant is about to be everywhere
Users will soon see Google's AI Assistant in a number of new devices -- including the Apple iPhone -- the company announced at its I/O developer conference today. Assistant debuted in 2016 and was originally integrated into the company's Pixel phone and Home smart hub. It's since spread to more than 100 million individual devices, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told the crowd at this year's conference, including smart TVs, automobiles and wearables. And it's about to be in a lot more.
'Actions on Google' lets app developers work inside Assistant
We've seen AI-powered chat bots spread across different services, but Google is opening up a way for more companies to get in on the action. With "Actions on Google," you can stay in your app (or talking to an Assistant-enabled device like Google Home) to do something like order food just by having a conversation. During a demo on stage at Google's I/O keynote today, the company showed off ordering delivery from Panera, without needing to enter your home address or payment information, or even create a specialized account.
Google Assistant now accepts typed and verbal cues
Google Assistant is becoming more conversational with better AI, but what happens when you want to ask a question that you'd rather not say out loud? Today, Google added the ability to type into Google Assistant, making it easier to converse with the AI helper -- even if you're in a loud (or extra quiet) environment. Even though the company says the new feature is available starting today, it doesn't appear to be live just yet. The ability to query Assistant with text has been part of Allo for a while, but this is the first time it's been enabled directly in Google Assistant, which is also now on your iPhone.
Google Assistant will speak in four more languages this summer
Google Assistant is getting all the attention so far at the company's annual I/O keynote. It can see, it can (finally) work on your iPhone and, starting this summer, Google Assistant will be able to detect and respond in French, German, Brazilian-Portuguese and Japanese. And that's not all. By the end of the year, the Assistant will also be able to speak Italian, Spanish and Korean.
Google Lens is a powerful, AI-driven visual search app
Google Lens is a set of vision-based computing capabilities that allows your smartphone to understand what's going on in a photo, video or live feed. For instance, point your phone at a flower and Google Lens will tell you, on the screen, which type of flower it is; or, aim the camera at a restaurant sign to see reviews and other information pop up. The new AI system is heading to Google Photos and Assistant first.
Google’s impersonal-but-handy Smart Replies come to the Gmail app
Google's "instant reply" technology, that can already be found in Inbox and Allo, is coming to the Gmail app for iOS and Android. If you've never used instant reply before, Google uses its machine learning smarts to analyze the contents of your messages to suggest quick replies. You then just tap and insert your chosen reply into a new email, hit send and call it a day.
Live from Google's 2017 I/O keynote!
We got here a little too early, but the fatigue will be worth it. Google's I/O developer conference kicks off today with a 1.5 hour keynote address that'll shed a whole lot more light on the company's updated vision of computing. Naturally, we're gonna liveblog the hell out of it.
Watch the Google I/O 2017 keynote right here!
Last week we heard the latest Windows plans from Microsoft at Build and now it's Google's turn. The company kicks off its annual Google I/O developers conference today at 1PM ET and we'll bring you all the news as it's announced from the stage. As always, you can complement your livestream experience with witty commentary and real-time analysis via our liveblog starting at the aforementioned time. For your convenience though, we've embedded the YouTube livestream down below so you don't have to go looking for it yourself. Until then, familiarize yourself with what we expect to hear more about in our Google I/O 2017 preview.
What to expect at Google I/O 2017
For the second year running, Google's massive I/O developer event will take place at the storied Shoreline Amphitheater, right around the corner from the company's Mountain View headquarters. Last year's conference had a host of major announcements worthy of such a high-profile venue -- it's where Google Home, the Google Assistant and the Daydream VR headset were all introduced. But this year, things seem like they'll be a little quieter, at least in terms of big consumer-facing hardware. It'll probably be a year of refinement, where big initiatives continue to be polished. We'll be there all three days this year, bringing you breaking news, analysis, interviews, videos and more. Without the benefit of a crystal ball, here's what we think we'll be talking about this week.
Google Assistant is expected to hit iOS and washing machines
Google's voice-controlled Assistant has only been available on Android and Home so far, but it might just spread its wings in the very near future. To start, Bloomberg tipsters claim that Google will use its I/O developer conference to launch Assistant on iOS as a free app. It wouldn't have the deep integration that comes with Android, but you could use it to access content available in YouTube and other Google apps. The app would only be available in the US at first, but you might not mind so much when the same sources also hint that Assistant will also provide a boost to Google Photos and appliances.
Audi and Volvo go all-in on Android
Audi and Volvo are making a very public commitment to Google after pledging to build Android into their next generation of cars. Rather than simply enabling your smartphone to interact with the vehicle, Google's software will be the operating system for these car's infotainment units. Users will, potentially, be able to use a wide variety of Android-specific apps on their whips, as well as use Google Maps for navigation. In addition, drivers will be able to control their AC, sunroof and windows from the same console that they find a new Spotify playlist or chat to their (Google) voice assistant.
Google expedites Android updates with Project Treble
We're about a week away from Google probably revealing the next version of its mobile OS, but as most Android users already know, actually receiving an update might take forever. The company is aware of this, and has unveiled a new system called Project Treble that could eliminate some major delays in pushing updates to existing devices. Project Treble will come to all new devices launched with Android O and beyond, and is already running on the developer preview for Pixel phones.
