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The Google Assistant will soon have with a stack of Aussie apps, with developers and companies now able to build apps “to engage with Aussies through Actions on Google".
Ok, so the Google Assistant isn’t quite going to become the Aussiestant, but it will feature many more apps aimed at Australian Assistant users “soon”, with many locally tuned apps “already available".
The news comes with a blog post Brad Adams, Google’s product manager for Google Assistant, and as the news was issued via embargo, I don’t have a link to where this info has gone live at time of publication, but it will probably be here.
Adams sets the scene, stating that: “whether you’re planning a BBQ, mapping your travels or helping the kids with their homework, your Google Assistant is always ready to help. You can ask about your day or your commute, explore your favourite topics, switch on appliances, and get answers to hundreds of small and big questions during your day".
{loadposition alex08}“But to be truly successful,” advises Adams, “your Google Assistant should be able to connect you across the apps and services in your life.
“So starting today, developers and companies can build apps to engage with Aussies through Actions on Google, the developer platform for the Google Assistant. And as a user, you’ll be able to access more of your favourite services and content straight through your Google Assistant.”
At the site linked above, we’re told that “Actions on Google lets you build apps for the Google Assistant. Your apps can help you engage users through Google Home, eligible Android phones, iPhones, and in the future, through every experience where the Google Assistant is available".
Developers are also advised that you can “reach users right when they need you”, with no need for users “to install anything to interact with your apps. When they ask for you by name, we’ll connect them with your app immediately. And if you tell us what types of actions your app can handle, we can offer it as a recommendation to relevant user questions".
There’s even the possibility to “monetise your apps with frictionless transactions”, whereby if your app offers goods and services, Google Assistant can be used to “purchase goods and services using new or existing payment methods on file either with Google or with your service. Users can also check their order history, get status updates, reorder items, and more".
It’s a comprehensive service, allowing the building of sophisticated voice-controlled apps that respond to user voice commands, and bringing forth the voice controlled Star Trek future of the 24th century to us here in the 21st.
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So, Google is putting the call out to developers to continue building, and to let Australians know apps are here with more on the way, to ensure momentum continues building for Google’s most personal assistant of all, with Google Home widely available in stores, Google Assistant widely available on smartphones running Android 6.0 and up, and even on iPhones, all as linked below.
Adams continues his app appeal: “For anyone who wants to build for the Assistant, resources such as developer tools, documentation and a simulator are available on the Actions on Google developer website, making it easy to create, test and deploy apps. Developers can read more here.
“Now that we’re making apps available, Aussies have easy and fast access to all types of apps. Once an app works with the Assistant, you can just tell your Assistant to connect you with the app with a simple voice command – whether it’s on Google Home, Pixel, Android phones or iPhones."
"And the best thing?" asks Adams, who then answers: "You don’t need to install anything extra, we’ll connect you straight with the app you’d like to interact with.”
Adams adds: “Stay tuned as local Aussie apps rollout soon, and dive in today by trying one of the many apps already available. To explore the latter, just launch the Google Assistant on your phone [instructions here if needed] or check out the Google Home app.
“We hope that this growing platform will give more Aussies the help they need, at home or on-the-go – from the morning rush hour to the weekend unwind. With our partners, we look forward to exploring and delivering these new possibilities for the Australian Google Assistant.”
So, with Google assisting its Assistant and its developers to create apps to engage Aussies through Actions on Google, Google clearly hopes you’ll take the action needed to engage Google Assistant and seek its help to become “your own personal Google".
No doubt Adams will have more information to share soon on Google Assistant’s great Aussie app-laden adventure, so we’ll keep you appraised of all the app action when we know more!