14 DAY TRIAL // Google has taken on Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana and launched its own smart service called Google Assistant. The service was first introduced during Google I/O in May and it revealed improvements to the experience in Google Now using OK Google voice controls.
Google Assistant arrived with Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones and it seems that it can also be enabled on Nexus smartphones that run Android Nougat. The service is quite useful with Google’s own application Allo and it will be a central part of Google Home too.
Google Assistant channel is now available on IFTTT with various voice commands. IFTTT (If This, Then That) is a service that allows users to create chains of simple statements, which can be triggered based on changes to other services like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
IFTTT offers a list of examples of recipes using Google Assistant
The connections are called recipes and users can create their own with the IFTTT service. The IFTTT app is available on Android and iOS, as well as in the form of a web service.
IFTTT states that Google Assistant works with the app only if it’s installed on a Pixel smartphone or Google Home. Other smartphones that have regular OK Google commands won’t work.
Users can choose the trigger phrase, action from IFTTT channels and even the replies that Assistant would send.
Google even provided some recipes for IFTTT users to check out, including the option to send Slack voice notes, block off time in the calendar or find the phone by voice. There are numerous other recipes that users can create using Google Assistant channel on IFTTT, based on their needs.
Virtual assistants have become increasingly popular lately, and even Samsung is said to be working on its own smart service after the company acquired Viv Labs, founded by the creators of Siri.