The Google Assistant virtual helper could soon arrive on Apple’s iPhone, if a new report is to be believed.
Last year, Google launched its own artificial intelligence based on the existing Google Now assistant feature. This AI-driven smart helper was called Google Assistant, and is currently available on new Android phones, as well as smartwatches and the Google Home smart speaker. So what’s next?
According to Bloomberg, Google will announce plans to launch Google Assistant on the iPhone at this week’s Google I/O 2017. The report also notes that the software will become available on coffee tables and in kitchens too – although the details are vague here. All we know is that Google may be plotting integration for various appliances like refrigerators, overs, washers, and dryers.
Citing a “person familiar with the matter”, Bloomberg writes that Google Assistant will land on the iPhone as a standalone app that can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store. It’s expected to arrive in the USA at first, but will likely roll out in other countries “in the future”.
It’s tipped that the Google Assistant will be voice-controlled – just like on Android – but that it won’t come pre-installed on the phone. Importantly, it’s unlikely that it will be integrated into the OS like Apple’s own Siri assistant is, meaning that Assistant may be hamstrung in some respects.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Assistant may be making its way to the iPhone, so we’re inclined to believe that the rumour is true. After all, Google has never been shy about pushing its own apps onto Apple. In fact, Google Maps was the preferred option over Apple Maps for many users for a long time, although recent updates to Apple’s software has levelled the playing field somewhat.
Google’s annual I/O developer conference begins on Wednesday, May 17 with a keynote that will include many announcements about the future of Google hardware and software.
