What you have to know
- The microphone icon, which is discovered within the search bar on the Pixel Launcher dwelling display, has now been re-mapped.
- The change was introduced earlier this month alongside the removing 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 quite than achieve 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 device is now “rolling out,” for lack of a greater phrase.
For what it is value, Google doesn’t see this alteration because the removing of a function. As an alternative, the corporate mentioned in a weblog submit that the shift was meant 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 removing 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 removing. 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 should 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 acquired 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 by means of Pixel Launcher for years, which can trigger some frustration as they regulate. That is the primary main change, probably of many, that comes upfront of Google’s overhaul of Assistant because it integrates Bard and AI.
