Next generation Google Assistant promises to be faster, more efficient

The new Google Assistant can run locally on any smartphone with near to zero latency and even if you have no internet connection.

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Google in the upcoming months will also be making its Assistant more personalised for users.

Google at its I/O 2019 developers conference declared a new version of the Google Assistant is coming, which will be faster and more efficient. Google Assistant is now used by over one billion devices globally and is currently available across 80 countries and supports over 30 languages.

Google has said that it wants to Assistant to work faster and be the most natural way to get things done. The new Google Assistant can run locally on any smartphone with near to zero latency and even if the user has no internet connection. A new continued conversation feature also lets users make several requests in a row without saying the hotword ‘Hey Google’ every time.

The company states that the new Assistant can process requests and deliver answers up to 10 times faster. The next generation Google Assistant will be coming to the Pixel phones later this year, followed by other OEMs.

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Google also said users will be able to stop an alarm on their Google Home or display devices by simply saying the word “stop”, rather than relying on the hotword, ‘Hey Google’ at all times.

Google Assistant also gets a new driving mode, which allows users to get things done handsfree while they are driving.

Last I/O, Google showcased how its new Duplex technology could make bookings on the phone. Now, the company is extending the use of Duplex to the web for making online bookings. Duplex for web will be made available in the US and UK on Android smartphones later this year and could be used to fill forms for the user to make car rental bookings.

Google in the upcoming months will also be making its Assistant more personalised for users. It will do this by making Assistant understand a user’s personal preferences with usage patterns. The feature will be rolled out later in this summer to Smart Displays with a new “Picks for you” page that will provide personalised suggestions.

Also Read: Google I/O 2019: Android Q, Pixel 3a, 3a XL, and everything else announced

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Google Assistant also gets a new driving mode, which allows users to get things done handsfree while they are driving. In this mode, users will be able to rely on their voice, while driving to perform tasks like navigation, messaging, calling and media control.

Google also said users will be able to stop an alarm on their Google Home or display devices by simply saying the word “stop”, rather than relying on the hotword, ‘Hey Google’ at all times.

Assistant’s driving mode will automatically launch when the smartphone is connected to a car’s Bluetooth or when the user says “Hey Google, Let’s Drive.” The new mode will be made available on Android smartphones this summer.

Another feature for automobiles includes controlling a car remotely via Google Assistant. This will allow users to perform many tasks like setting a car’s temperature, checking fuel levels or checking if the doors are locked or not, remotely. The company has said that this feature will be made available in cars that work with Hyundai’s “Blue Link” and Mercedes-Benz’s “Mercedes me connect” technologies in the coming months.