Google Assistant removes some of its useful features

Google announced that it would Made major changes to the wizard. After confirming 1,000 layoffs — some of them from support departments — the technology giant confirmed that Some features will stop working In the next few days as it is not used much.

In a blog post, Google said it will prioritize the most popular experiences and invest in technology to improve them. Because of that, The assistant will remove features that are not used frequently. The measure will go into effect in the coming weeks, so Google will send a notification to people who try to use it.

According to the support website, Google will eliminate 17 functions of the Assistant, among which the ability to create alarms is different. Write an email or send a message with your voice, reschedule events in the calendar and more. The list includes other interactions with third parties, such as enabling Quiet to meditate or control activities with your voice on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices.

Google Users will be notified of these features from January 26. The message will include the date when the feature will be removed and, in some cases, suggestions for replacement options where applicable.

“Over the years, we’ve made it easier to do things with the Assistant, thanks in large part to your feedback,” said Duke Dukelis, vice president of Google Assistant. “And to improve your experience and continue to build the best Assistant yet, we’re making some changes to focus on quality and reliability, and ultimately to make Assistant easier to use on all devices.”

These are functions that will disappear from Google Assistant

Action	Optional
Play and control audiobooks on Google Play Books with your voice	You can still stream audiobooks from your mobile device.
Set or use media alarms, music alarms, or radio alarms on Google Assistant-enabled devices.	You can create custom routines that have the same behavior or use standard alarms.
Access or manage your cookbooks, transfer recipes from one device to another, play recipe instructional videos or display step-by-step recipes.	You can use Google Assistant to search for recipes on the web and YouTube.
Stopwatch management on smart screens and speakers.	You can still set timers and alarms.
Use your voice to call a device or broadcast a message to your Google Family Group.	You can still stream to your home devices.
Use your voice to send an email, video or audio message.	You can still make calls and send text messages.
Reschedule an event in Google Calendar with your voice.	You can still schedule a new event.
Launch the app in Google Assistant driving mode in Google Maps to read and send messages, make calls, and control media.	You can still use voice control in Google Maps in the same way.
Schedule or listen to family announcements on a pre-programmed speaker, smart display or mobile device.	You can create a custom routine that has the same behavior.
Ask to meditate quietly	You can still request attention options with other providers like YouTube
Voice activity control will no longer be available on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices.	You will need to use the buttons on your device to start, stop, pause and resume activities. You can still control activities via voice on The Pixel Watch.
Viewing your sleep summary will only be available on a smart display like the Nest Hub	You can still request sleep details via voice on third-party smartwatches.
Calls made from smart speakers and displays won’t show up with caller ID unless you use Duo.	–
View “trip” time estimates on the smart display.	You can still request travel times and get voice directions.
Consult a personalized travel itinerary by voice.	You can still ask about flight status.
Request information about your contacts.	You can still call your contacts
Request certain actions by voice, such as sending a payment, making a reservation or posting on a social network.	You can still ask Assistant to open your installed apps.

Google will implement other adjustments in its mobile app

The announced changes will also affect behavior in Google apps. You will no longer be able to use the microphone icon to activate the assistant and complete actions. This feature will be replaced by voice search, as was the case originally.

Users will be able to Summon Assistant by saying “Hey Google” or pressing the Home button In some terminals. In the case of iOS, access will be offered through a dedicated app.

Google promised a transition period for people to get used to the new changes. This includes alerts several days in advance that notify the user of which features will disappear. These adjustments are consistent with Bard’s commitment to being a true intelligent assistant.

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