Some Smartphones Adding Dedicated Google Assistant Button

Google has announced that LG, Nokia, Xiaomi, TCL and Vivo will soon launch smartphones with dedicated Google Assistant buttons.

“Last year, we took the first step in working with LG to launch a dedicated button for the Google Assistant on its flagship devices to help people get things done on the go — whether it’s staying on top of your day or finding directions with just your voice,” the company wrote in a blog post.

The Google Assistant button will be available in the full portfolio of new Android devices with LG and Nokia, including the LG G8 ThinQ and K40 and the Nokia 3.2 and 4.2 that are set to be released this week. New smartphones from Xiaomi (including the Mi MIX 3 5G and Mi 9), TCL and Vivo (including the V15 Pro) will also feature the Google Assistant button later this year.

As for how the button works, reports explained that a single tap will bring up the Assistant, while a double tap will bring up its visual snapshot feature that offers users information about their day and location. And a long press activates a “walkie talkie feature” so that the Assistant will listen to longer queries for sending texts and emails.

“And to support future AI-driven mobile experiences, we worked with manufacturers like Qualcomm and Mediatek to bring support for Android’s Neural Networks API and ML Kit,” the blog post included. “This integration lets phone manufacturers and app developers build faster, smarter and smoother experiences on mobile. For example, LG adopted these technologies to bring Google Lens suggestions into the camera app on the LG G8 ThinQ, allowing people to simply point the camera, and with a single tap, call or save a phone number on a takeout menu, send an email right from a flyer, or open an address in Google Maps.”