First hints of the new Assistant appear in update to the app beta

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Published 1 Jul 2016

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The beta version of the app is usually the first to spill the goods on upcoming features. That’s what appears to be the case in version 6.1, as we finally catch a glimpse of how the new Assistant may work when it comes time to take over as your new best friend.

In a dig into the A, Android lice found several code strings that reference the assistant being ready to help when summoned. It’s not available now, but often does a lot of the pre-work before features go live. Expect to see more before the Assistant debuts, which should occur alongside Android Nougat.

A few icons are also waiting in the wings, one of which features the assistant’s image that revealed at I/O in May. 

google assistant icons Android lice

The Assistant image a couple of chat icons are making a brief cameo in the latest version of the app beta.

Additionally, there’s a reference to searching through your apps, another upcoming feature that promises to let you find content buried deep inside of applications installed on your phone or tablet. It’s also not working yet, but serves as a hint of what’s to come the central role the Assistant will play in how you use Android.

At least one feature is available to use right away. There’s a newfound ability to turn on or off trending searches from the search box. This way when you touch the search bar you won’t be bombarded with news that you may or may not be interested in.

autocomplete google app

You can now flip on or off local, trending searches.

Make sure you have the latest version of the app beta, which can be found in the ay Store or from A Mirror.

The impact on you: The app, by extension the new assistant, is at the heart of how is using its search power as the main differentiator for Android. It’s a compelling reason to go with ’s operating system, unless of course sending that much information to on a regular basis creeps you out.