What you could know
- The microphone icon, which is discovered within the search bar on the Pixel Launcher residence display, has now been re-mapped.
- The change was introduced earlier this month alongside the elimination of 17 options in Google Assistant.
- The microphone button was beforehand a Google Assistant shortcut. Now, it’ll reply to questions with Google Search outcomes.
It is by no means thrilling to see a product or app lose performance slightly than acquire it, however that is what is going on with Google Assistant. Earlier this month, Google introduced that it will be eradicating 17 “underutilized” options from Assistant. The transfer got here amidst a flurry of layoffs, which have since been confirmed to proceed.
The purge of options is now starting, and Pixel Launcher customers will discover that the microphone icon within the search bar now not triggers Assistant (through 9to5Google). The conversion of this icon’s goal from serving as a Google Assistant shortcut to a Google Search software is now “rolling out,” for lack of a greater phrase.
For what it is value, Google doesn’t see this variation because the elimination of a function. As an alternative, the corporate mentioned in a weblog submit that the shift was supposed to create “a extra constant expertise. Google additionally mentioned that the most well-liked use case for the microphone icon is to get Google Search outcomes, so maybe the elimination of the Assistant shortcut will profit some customers.
Formally, the microphone icon within the search bar within the Pixel Launcher will now activate Voice Search. You may ask Google a query, and it’ll reply with outcomes from Search.
Nevertheless, activating the Google Assistant could also be slower in some circumstances following the shortcut’s elimination. You may nonetheless set off Assistant by saying “Hey Google” or by long-pressing the house or energy buttons. Finishing sure actions that require a voice assistant could be tougher, although, particularly in case you aren’t within the place to say, “Hey, Google.”
The nice factor is that Google is actively speaking the change to customers. After a consumer has obtained the replace to re-map the microphone icon, they are going to be greeted with a pop-up that explains what’s new. “Entry to Google Assistant has moved,” the message reads. “The microphone button on the search bar now opens Google Voice Search as an alternative of Assistant.”
A possible concern is that many customers have muscle reminiscence from utilizing Assistant via Pixel Launcher for years, which can trigger some frustration as they modify. That is the primary main change, probably of many, that comes upfront of Google’s overhaul of Assistant because it integrates Bard and AI.
