Google is removing 17 underutilized functions of it’s Voice Assistant later this month to focus on the tool’s quality and reliability.
While some outgoing functions have alternatives, some don’t. The microphone icon in the Google Search app will also be tuned to offer search results instead of working as a voice assistant. This move comes after the company announced laying off several employees from the hardware and Assistant departments.
Stripping Down Google Voice Assistant
Google’s voice assistant is one of the finest virtual helpers on Android, at least until the generative AI craze took off. As more OEMs are cooking AI into their products, Google is dumping the underutilized functions of it’s voice assistant to focus on “quality and reliability.”
Some of these include using your voice to make payments, reservations, posting on social media and sending an email video or audio message. While some of the features have an alternative, some don’t. Here’s the complete list;
- Playing and controlling audiobooks on Google Play Books with your voice. You can still cast audiobooks from your mobile device.
- Setting or using media alarms, music alarms, or radio alarms on Google Assistant enabled devices. You can create a custom Routine that has similar behavior or use a standard alarm.
- Accessing or managing your cookbook, transferring recipes from device to device, playing an instructional recipe video, or showing step-by-step recipes. You can use Google Assistant to search for recipes across the web and YouTube.
- Managing a stopwatch on Smart Displays and Speakers. You can still set timers and alarms.
- Using your voice to call a device or broadcast a message to your Google Family Group. You can still broadcast to devices in your home.
- Using your voice to send an email, video or audio message. You can still make calls and send text messages.
- Rescheduling an event on the Google Calendar with your voice. You can still schedule a new event.
- Using App Launcher in Google Assistant driving mode on Google Maps to read and send messages, make calls and control media. You can still use voice control on Google Maps the same way.
- Asking to schedule or hear previously scheduled Family Bell announcements. You can create a custom Routine that has similar behavior.
- Asking to meditate with Calm. You can still ask for meditation options with media providers such as YouTube.
- Voice control for activities will no longer be available on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices. You’ll need to use the buttons on your device to start, stop, pause, and resume activities. You can still voice control activities on Pixel Watches.
- Viewing your sleep summaries will only be available on Google Smart Displays. You can still ask for sleep details by voice on third-party smart clocks.
- Calls made from speakers and Smart Displays will not show up with a caller ID unless you’re using Duo.
- Viewing the ambient “Commute to Work” time estimates on Smart Displays. You can still ask for commute times and get directions by voice.
- Checking personal travel itineraries by voice. You can still ask for flight status.
- Asking for information about your contacts. You can still make calls to your contacts.
- Asking to take certain actions by voice, such as send a payment, make a reservation, or post to social media. You can still ask Assistant to open your installed apps.
These features will disappear from January 26 and be shown as unavailable when a user tries to access them after the date. The company is also changing how the microphone icon on Google Search works, where tapping it now will trigger Search results to your queries instead of the voice assistant.
And if you have any thoughts on these channels, Google asks you to share them from “Hey Google, send feedback”, saying.
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