Whereas the first version of Google’s Android Assistant centered on voice commands until Google added visual elements inspired by Smart Display such as on-screen controls, Google aims to enhance the Assistant. In 2020, a Snapshot feed featuring personalized recommendations and upcoming events became available.
To that effect, Google seeks to make the phone form factor easier to use, most demonstrated by its new Memory feature. This feature allows users to quickly save and find all items in a single location for ease of use. The tool’s capabilities provide capturing screenshots from any visited digital location, including the ability to save links hosted on pages with which the user engages.
Secondly, the Memory tool can store in memory real-world items, such as handwritten notes, objects and posters. In fact, the Assistant Memory can even save the user’s reminders and thoughts for access at a later time. Finally, the smart search and organization element allows users to locate all of those items in one place, saving both effort and time.
As far as saving capabilities, Google Assistant Memory can keep track of articles, books, contacts, events, flights, hotels, photos, films, locations, music, images, notes, playlists, products, recipes, reminders, restaurants, screenshots, shipments, TV series, videos and websites.
Users can utilize either the home screen or the verbal Google Assistant command to store items. The Memory feature can also maintain the context of a stored item, such as related location, screenshots and URLs.
Once the information is stored in Memory, users can view all of this data in a new Memory feed that resides beside the existing Snapshot. Operating in reverse chronological sequence, Google will display Older Memories as well as those from Today in the form of card entries. These entries are special cards available when you save to Drive any Google Docs, Drawing, Forms, Jamboard, Sheets and Sites files, offering a document preview for each.
In fact, Assistant Memory can even include contextually related actions, such as Cooking time (for recipes), Open Chat, Search flight status, Track Shipment and Watch Trailer, among other possibilities. Amidst these offerings, users will also still be able to set repeating and alarms and location reminders. Indeed, the search bar at the top of the tool still contains options of “Important” and “Read later”, wherein users can organize and delete as needed.