Google Assistant in Canada is debuting apps in both English and French today, which will let users access “more of your favourite services and content directly through your Google Assistant,” explains the company in a blog post.
Google gives the following examples of how Assistant users can quickly access apps in Canada, by saying the following:
- Play a hockey trivia game: “Ok Google, Drop the Puck”
- Cocktail recipes: “Ok Google, talk to Tender”.
- Find a gift: “Ok Google, talk to Best Buy Canada”
We tested these example app commands, but only Tender and Best Buy are working so far.
The company says “once an app is available with the Google Assistant, you can just tell your Assistant to connect you with the app with a simple voice command – whether it’s on Google Home Mini, Google Home, Pixel, Android phones or iPhones. No downloading necessary.”
More local Canadian apps are set to rollout in English and French soon, while developers are also encouraged to make apps for Assistant as well.
With Amazon launching Alexa in Canada this morning, and Google Assistant available via software and hardware such as Home and Home mini speakers, the pressure is on Apple’s Siri to step up. If only HomePod was coming to Canada this year.
Click here to download Google Assistant for iOS in the App Store.
