The “OK Google” speech commands within Android are a great way to send hands-free text messages, but how often do you send conventional texts rather than IMs anyway?
Google has today extended the functionality of its voice-controlled platform in order to reconcile with our collective obsession with instant messaging apps.
In an update published on Tuesday, Google has made “OK Google” compatible with popular apps like WeChat, WhatsApp and Viber. So now, instead of asking Google Now to send a text, you can command it to “send a WhatsApp to…”
If the person you’re trying to reach is listed within your contacts, they must be identified by the same name within the requisite messaging app, if the feature is work properly.
“Between friends, family and work, we send dozens of messages a day. But there’s an easier way to do that than using your thumbs on tiny keyboards,” wrote Sunil Vemuri, Product Manager on the Inside Search blog (via SlashGear).
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Read more: Android M Features: What’s new?
The full list of compatible apps is WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat, Telegram, NextPlus, with more apps and languages coming soon.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
