Google wants to deliver the best user experience when it comes to smart home devices and virtual assistants, and this is evidenced by the updates making their way to Google Home and Google Assistant.
What Home — or to be exact, Assistant on Home — is getting is a multitasking function. In other words, it can take two commands at a time now. Meanwhile, Assistant can now conveniently connect you with local home services, such as plumbers, electricians, or cleaners, to name a few.
Home Learns How To Multitask
As reported first by CNET, Google secretly made Home devices a little smarter through a minor update, allowing them to understand and process two OK Google requests in one go.
For example, you can say before going out, "OK Google, turn off the lights, and what's the weather?"
That's just the beginning too. While Home can't take more than two commands right now, a feature called Routines is set to launch in the foreseeable future. It'll let you issue multiple requests simultaneously using a custom phrase, meaning that the smart home device's multitasking capability will get better soon enough.
Assistant Becomes More Like A Real Assistant
One point of Assistant is to bring a reliable, well, assistant into your home. Sure, it might not have all the tools yet, but it's getting there slowly but surely.
A good example of that is it can recommend local home services to you. For instance, you can say, "OK Google, find me a plumber."
"[S]tarting today, it's getting better at helping you, if you're looking for nearby services like an electrician, plumber, house cleaner and more," Google says.
The best part is, it won't simply give you one company after another to choose from, as it'll also ask some questions first to help you zero in on the most suitable one depending on the service you need.
The feature is expected to become available over the coming week in the United States.
Google says that the companies Assistant will suggest are prescreened by it and other outfits in the home service industry such as HomeAdvisor and Porch. What that means is that the digital helper will likely recommend only decent and trustworthy service providers.
For the record, this will work on Android phones, iPhones, and smart speakers with Assistant.
At that, it's worth mentioning that other improvements on Assistant include troubleshooting your Pixel 2, turn into an intercom system for your home, and even call Santa.
