Google Assistant is Coming to Android TV, Android Wear 2.0 and More Devices

Google Assistant has been somewhat of a replacement for Google Now for those who have compatible devices. Many are still waiting for Google to bring the new service to their device, and they’re now making some progress with this. Sadly, we still aren’t seeing official support for it on non-Pixel Android smartphones, but Google has announced it will be coming to a number of different platforms throughout the year.

The big news here is that all Android TV devices in the United States running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or 7.0 Nougat will soon get an update that adds Google Assistant support.  This is especially enticing given that, at the moment, Assistant is limited to a handful of expensive Google-made products like the Home and the Pixel smartphones. Google gives an example list of Android TV devices that will receive the update, including the NVIDIA Shield Android TV, AirTV Player, Sharp Aquos, Sony Bravia, and Xiaomi Mi Box, but there are definitely others out there that will get Google Assistant.

With voice actions on these supported devices, you’ll be able to issue commands like “Play Stranger Things on Netflix,” or “Search YouTube for Jimmy Kimmel.” This version of Google Assistant will also be able to do Google web searches so you can say something like “Tell me about Jurassic Park,” and “How long will it take to get to work?” You’ll even be able to control your connected devices that are supported by Google Assistant, so you can say “Dim the lights,” to get ready for the movie or show you’re about to watch.

We’re also told that Google Assistant will be coming to a number of other devices in the near future as well. Google specifically mentions Android Wear 2.0, Android-powered in-car infotainment systems, and “other types of devices” thanks to the Embedded Google Assistant SDK. We’ll have to wait and see if the Embedded Google Assistant SDK catches on as much as Amazon’s Alexa platform, but each new company that adds support for Google Assistant will make the service that more valuable. Expanding Google Assistant’s reach is a great strategy that will bring further exposure to Google’s AI and connected home efforts.

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