Digital assistants are all the rage these days with Alexa, Cortana, Siri, Bixby, and Google Assistant. Aside from Samsung’s Bixby, most Android phones don’t have a dedicated assistant button you can use. Last year a dedicated Google Assistant button was tested on LG’s flagship device. This year, Google is announcing an expansion of the Google Assistant button to more devices.
At MWC 2019 Google is announcing that the Google Assistant button will be on a wider range of 2019 LG phones as well as 2019 Nokia phones. This includes the LG G8 ThinQ and K40 as well as the Nokia 3.2 and 4.2. New phones from Xiaomi, including the Mi Mix 3 5G and Mi 9 will get the button. TCL and Vivo will also join the party but not until later this year, the Vivo V15 Pro will have the Assistant button.
Google says that with these new partnerships, they expect to see over 100 million devices launched this year with the new button in place. We did reach out to Google to ask if the new button will be remappable. A company spokesperson said the button will not be remappable but the option to disable the button will likely be included.
Here’s a rundown of what the Google Assistant button will do for you:
- A single tap of the button will launch the Google Assistant, letting you quickly get answers to your questions, view your calendar, find directions to the nearest coffee shop, listen to music/podcasts, and control devices in your home with just your voice.
- A double tap brings you to our new visual snapshot that provides curated, helpful information based on the time of day, location, and your recent interactions with the Assistant.
- And long pressing the button activates a walkie talkie feature, so you ensure the Assistant listen to your full query (perfect for emails or long text messages)
Google Assistant is arguably the best AI assistant out there right now. While not everyone will want to use it, the dedicated button could be helpful for many who do use it.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
