Days ahead of its I/O developer conference, Google has provided an update about how far Assistant has come since debuting two years ago. The company’s voice
Days ahead of its I/O developer conference, Google has provided an update about how far Assistant has come since debuting two years ago.
The company’s voice helper debuted at Google I/O 2016 and can now be found in Google’s own smart speakers, as well as Android phones, and integrated with several third-party products. Now, Google is taking the time to announce new features and discuss the progress it’s made with Assistant, revealing it works with more than 5,000 devices, up from only 1,500 at the beginning of the year.
Assistant now supports essentially all the major brands, Google announced in a blog post. And it’s currently working with Dish to integrate the Hopper receivers with the Assistant, so that you can say things like, „Hey Google, switch to AMC“ through either your phone or a Google Home device. The Assistant will also work with Logitech’s Harmony remotes so you can browse channels, adjust volume, etc.
Google further confirmed Assistant works with Nest’s Hello doorbell. With this integration, Assistant can serve up the doorbell’s video feed on your phone. Google said it’ll rollout similar features for other products from Nest „later this year“. We can also expect Assistant integrations for ADT lights, Xiaomi lights, Hunter Douglas blinds, Arlo security cameras, Hisense A/C and humidifiers, and new LG appliances.
The voice controlled functionality for some of these brands will start rolling out in May. Keep in mind Amazon’s Alexa, which is a couple years older, is winning the integration race. Earlier this year, an Amazon representative said Alexa works with about 12,000 devices. So, while Google needs to catch up, it clearly offers a full catalogue that’s continually expanding.
For more about Assistant, check out our guide. We also have these handy pieces on Assistant and how you can use it with various devices:
