Google just announced that it will be bringing the Google Assistant—previously an exclusive feature on Pixel phones—to many more devices in the coming days. The only requirement they're giving is that the phone must be running either Android Marshmallow or Android Nougat, so according to the most recent Android distribution numbers, that's roughly 32% of all existing phones and tablets.
The change will come with a server-side update to your existing Google app, so there's nothing you need to do except kick back and wait. Once available, you'll be able to access the Assistant by either long-pressing your home button, or opening your Google app and saying "OK Google." If you're using the Google Now Launcher, you'll be able to say this trigger phrase to call up the Assistant from your home screen. Even better, if your phone has always-listening hotword detection capabilities, the Assistant can even be accessed with your screen off.
This announcement comes in the wake of several smartphone unveilings at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain this weekend. Each of the new phones that made their debut—including the BlackBerry KeyOne, the LG G6, and the Moto G5 Plus—will all come with Google Assistant enabled right out of the box.
To learn more about the Google Assistant and how it differs from the old Google Now setup from years past, make sure to check out the following link. And if you receive the new Assistant, but aren't quite fond of it, be aware that you can revert to Google Now with a simple root mod.
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Cover image and screenshots by Dallas Thomas/Gadget Hacks
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