Google Assistant is Google's voice assistant that offers voice commands, voice searching, and voice-activated device control, letting you complete a number of tasks after you've said the "OK Google" or "Hey, Google" wake words. It is designed to give you conversational interactions.
Google Assistant will:
- Control your devices and your smart home
- Access information from your calendars and other personal information
- Find information online, from restaurant bookings to directions, weather and news
- Control your music
- Play content on your Chromecast or other compatible devices
- Run timers and reminders
- Make appointments and send messages
- Open apps on your phone
- Read your notifications to you
- Real-time spoken translations
Google Assistant knows you and understands context, it will react in an informed or smart way. That's important as it gives voice control a lot more power and moves it on from only reacting to specific phrases or commands. In the future, Google says that Assistant will be able to call and book appointments for you. It's designed to be more than just reactive.
Other features include the ability to check in to your flight, as well as the ability to book a room with some partners and there's an Interpreter Mode on Google Home devices and smart displays too. With it, you can ask Google Assistant to help you conduct a conversation in dozens of languages. Just say "Hey Google, be my Spanish interpreter" to start Interpreter Mode and get real time spoken and (on Smart Displays) written translation to aid the conversation.
Google Assistant in Google Home devices forms the foundation of smart home control. It's compatible with a wide range of devices, so you can control heating, lights, and a lots more with your voice.