Google on Wednesday said its Google Assistant will now be accessible on Apple Inc’s iPhone. The technology giant also announced several new features at its annual developer conference in Mountain View California. The artificial intelligence-driven, voice-controlled digital assistant, is aimed at giving competition to Apple’s Siri feature.
Google officials also announced an upgraded Google Home speaker, a job search tool and a virtual reality headset. The company’s representatives said the assistant will soon be able to “complete transactions and supply information about objects captured by the smartphones camera”. Observers, however, said the company’s Android operating system was sidelined during the conference, Reuters reported.
The company’s product rivals Microsoft, Apple and Amazon’s offerings to provide a voice-powered digital assistant. “Humans are interacting with computing in more natural and immersive ways,” Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai was quoted as saying. “We have been using voice as an input across many of our products.”
The chief executive officer also said that its main revenue generator, its search engine, would be upgraded with a jobs tab that would filter suggestions based on remuneration and commute time. Users will be able to use Google Home to make phone calls and also access HBO Now streaming service.
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