This Month in Google Assistant: August Recap

Aygul Zagidullina

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Google Assistant

6 min readAug 31, 2018

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Google Home supports multiple languages

Google added multilingual support to Google Assistant. With Google’s advancement in speech recognition, you can now speak more than one language at a time with the Assistant on smart speakers and phones and the Assistant it’ll respond in kind. Learn more on Google blog: https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/meet-bilingual-google-assistant-new-smart-home-devices/ and Google AI blog: https://ai.googleblog.com/2018/08/Multilingual-Google-Assistant.html.

Google Home Max available in Australia, Germany, UK, and France

The Google Home Max has been launched in four new countries: Australia on August 9 and Germany, UK, France on August 30. They join the United States (which got the Home Max in December 2017) and Canada (which got it in May 2018) as the only countries in the world where Google sells the Home Max.

The Google Home Max launch party in Germany

Google Home routines available in India, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia

Google Home routines now work in India, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. If you live in one of these countries, you can set up your routines in the Google Assistant settings. Default routines include telling you about your commute, the weather, and reminders in the morning when you say “tell me about my day”, “I’m up” or “good morning”. Learn more on XDA Developers: https://www.xda-developers.com/google-home-routines-india-canada-uk-germany-australia/.

JBL’s new Link Bar soundbar, Link View smart display, and 2 Everest GA headphones

Adding to its Link range of connected devices, JBL announces four Link products with Google Assistant. JBL Link Bar (£350) is a soundbar with 3 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI ARC output, all compatible with 4K playback, Bluetooth support and Android TV built in. JBL Link View (£250) is a 8" HD smart display with a 5MP front-facing camera, Bluetooth support, hi-res audio streaming via Chromecast, and dedicated passive radiator for deep, rich bass. JBL Everest 710GA (£230) is over-ear wireless headphones and Everest 110GA (£90) is in-ears wireless headphones.

New smart security devices compatible with Google Assistant

Google worked several home security brands to launch new devices that work with Google Assistant: smart security cameras — Arlo Security Lights, Nest Cam; smart locks — Nest x Yale Lock, August Smart Lock, Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt, Sesame Lock by Candy House; smart security systems — ADT Pulse, Honeywell’s new Smart Home Security solution, Nest Secure alarm system. Learn more on Google blog: https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/protecting-your-home-google-assistant/.

Google Assistant experience exhibition in So-Cal Link Gallery in Tokyo, Japan

Google Assistant experience exhibition called “OK Google, おばけやしきにつれてって” (“OK Google, take me to a haunted house”)” is open for visitors until September 2 in So-Cal Link Gallery in Tokyo, Japan. The exhibition is a series of Google Assistant powered booths and a dedicated Action on Google to guide you through them. Just say “入館パス発行” (“publish entry pass”) to get your ticket displayed on your phone. In the first room, just say “電気つけて” (“turn on the light”) to turn on the colorful light. In the next room, just say “音楽かけて” (“play music”) and light ambient music will start playing along with sparkling mirror ball and the lyrics projected on the wall. In the next room, just say “写真とって” (“take a photo”) and your whole family/group will get a printed image. Finally, there are popcorn souvenirs for everyone and the luckiest ones get Google Home Mini. Learn more on Google Japan blog: https://japan.googleblog.com/2018/08/ok-google-google.html & Engadget Japan blog: https://japanese.engadget.com/2018/08/27/google/.

Bang & Olufsen’s new speakers with Google Assistant

Bang & Olufsen (B&O) announced two new smart speakers with Google Assistant inside, changing the “premium” concept and creating a “super premium” smart speaker category. The flagship Beosound 2 has a suggested retail price of $2,250/€2,000/£1,650 with the Beosound 1 at a more economical $1,750/€1,500/£1,250. The speakers will be available starting from September in 14 markets that currently support Google Assistant (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, and USA).

New experimental feature for Google Assistant “Tell me something good” (US only)

“Tell me something good” is a new experimental feature for Google Assistant users in the U.S. that delivers your daily dose of good news. Just say “Hey Google, tell me something good” to receive a brief news summary about people who are solving problems for our communities and our world. Learn more on Google blog: https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/hey-google-tell-me-something-good/.

LG’s new Tone Platinum earbuds with Google Assistant

Tone Platinum is the first LG Tone product to come equipped with the Google Assistant. Similar to Bose QC35 II and other Assistant headphones, it has a button that allows you to quickly prompt the Google Assistant and ask it anything you’d like. Learn more on LG Newsroom website: http://www.lgnewsroom.com/2018/08/lg-brings-google-convenience-to-popular-tone-series/.

Google Assistant is available in Sweden with support for Swedish

Google Assistant added support for the Swedish language as it went live for users in Sweden. Assistant in Swedish supports features such as Actions on Google, and lots of Russian brands (e.g. Sveriges Radio, H&M Home) have revealed support for Assistant. Learn more on Google Swedish website: https://assistant.google.com/intl/sv_se/.

Google released Google News on Google Assistant

Google released Google News on Google Assistant. You can choose your preferred news sources from hundreds of national and local broadcasters including CNBC, CNN, Cheddar and more. Just ask “Hey Google, what’s the news?”. If you want to go deeper or learn more about a specific topic, just ask “What’s the news on the women’s national soccer team?” or “What’s the latest on NASA?”. Learn more on Google blog: https://www.blog.google/products/news/hey-google-whats-news/.

Google Home understands room context

Google Home now understands room context. Provided you have rooms set up and Google Home that hears you is assigned to the same room as your smart lights, any general command to control lights — e.g. “turn on the lights,” “dim the lights” — will only apply to that room. A similar command to a Google Home in a room with no assigned lights will still trigger every light on your network. Users can continue to control all their lights at once by including the word “all” in their commands or control individual lights (irrespective of the room they’re in) by identifying them using their assigned number (e.g. “turn off light number 3”).