+1-800-298-3165
Google outlines future of voice at developer festival
Rebecca Appleton • 15 May 2018
Google has used its annual I/O developer festival to highlight the future of voice. Held in Mountain View last week (8-10 May), the event brings together developers from all around the world and gives the search engine a chance to outline its upcoming products, predictions and advances ahead of rolling them out.
Google has used its annual I/O developer festival to highlight the future of voice. Held in Mountain View last week (8-10 May), the event brings together developers from all around the world and gives the search engine a chance to outline its upcoming products, predictions and advances ahead of rolling them out.
The focus of this year’s keynote speech differed to the search-centric comments we’re used to and instead, honed in on an area that’s of particular interest to mobile users; voice and more specifically, Google Assistant.
In the keynote address, Google revealed that Assistant is now installed on 500 million devices globally. This includes devices you might not usually think of, such as cars and televisions along with working alongside 5,000 connected home devices. At the end of this year, Google says Assistant will span 30 languages and 80 countries.
The search engine used I/O to outline a number of developments too. Here is a quick recap of what we can expect to see happening with Assistant in the near future…
More voices: Google will roll out six new voices, meaning users can enjoy a greater degree of personalisation when using Assistant in the future. The singer John Legend’s voice will also provide a small amount of spoken content. Developers cited advanced in AI as a reason for being able to create more voices more quickly. With a truncated development timeframe, it’s also possible that more voices, including celebrity voices, will be launched more often.
Smart displays : Later this summer, smart displays will launch. As of July, some manufacturers (including Lenovo) will roll out new hardware which incorporates Assistant on screen and couples this with a richer visual experience. All devices with smart displays should be usable with either touch screen or voice.
Hey Google: There have been improvements to Assistant’s natural language capability too. In a move reminiscent of recent updates to Amazon Echo, users will now be able to ask follow-up questions without having to say “Hey Google” or “Ok Google” to trigger the Assistant.
Google Maps integration: Voice assistant will be integrated with Google Maps and will allow users to send text messages or make calls from the Maps app.
AI-powered phone scheduling: One of the biggest reveals was the roll out of Duplex, which is a phone system for booking appointments with local businesses (such as the vets or hairdressers) powered by AI.
Share this post:
Recent Posts
Running your own business is exciting, but doing it all on your own? That’s a different story. For solo entrepreneurs, juggling everything from sales and marketing to service delivery and customer support can quickly lead to overwhelm. And as your client base grows, so does the demand for time, energy, and expertise. That’s why more and more entrepreneurs are seeking business models that offer done-for-you fulfilment , systems that let them scale without sacrificing quality or burning out.
We’re thrilled to announce that Eazi-Apps will be exhibiting at The National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC Birmingham on 3–4 October 2025. This is your opportunity to meet our team in person and discover how you can launch a successful technology business with no technical experience required. You’ll find us at Stand LC30.
In a world where digital transformation is no longer optional, local businesses are turning to digital agencies for everything from websites and SEO to mobile apps and social media marketing. For entrepreneurs launching their own agency, the ability to scale remotely opens up exciting possibilities: lower overheads, location freedom, and a broader client base. But how do you actually scale a local digital agency, especially if you’re starting out solo and working from home? The answer lies in systems, strategy, and smart service design.
