Google Assistant is xes an dokilling off a bunch of its capabilities. The tech giant said it would stop supporting 17 "underutilized features."
Several of these features that'll no longer be supported feel quite useful, including sending a message with your voice or setting alarms on Assistant-enabled devices. The company said it was "making a few changes to focus on quality and reliability" in Assistant, but it's clear this is part of a shift in priorities.
Here is the full list of defunct features, via Google.
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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, transfering 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 in 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.
There have been a lot of recent changes at the search giant. Google announced this week that it laid off hundreds of workers from its Assistant unit, among other cuts. All of these major changes come, of course, amid its increasing focus on Bard, its AI chatbot.
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Assistant's future appears to be inextricably tied to Bard. AI is coming down the pike, whether we like it or not.
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