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News and rumors flying like crazy this week. It seems Monday’s eclipse is quickly being overshadowed (pun intended) by Google’s launch of Android O and rumors of never-before-seen hardware.
We can’t express how excited we are to see Chromebook ‘Eve’ make her debut, hopefully at an upcoming Google event if our theories are correct. However, Google may have some other products up their sleeve according to an APK teardown from 9to5Google.
A previous teardown of the Google app APK made mention of an unknown device named “Bisto.” That was about all there was to it; a mention and a reference to headphones.
<string name=”bisto_onboarding_chip_text”>Finish headphones setup</string>
Cryptic at best.
The latest teardown from 9to5Google gives a much clearer picture of what’s really going on with “Bisto.”
<string name=”bisto_magic_pairing_assistant_prop_text”>”Your headphones have the Google Assistant. Ask it questions. Tell it to do things. It’s your own personal Google, always ready to help.”</string>
Headphones with Google Assistant!
Okay, maybe this isn’t earth-shattering but it does prove some of our previous points that Google is moving to place the Assistant in anything and everything possible. In the process, they continue to expand their hardware resume and for me personally, I think that’s awesome.
The APK teardown goes into much more detail about the functions, abilities, and interface of the “Bisto” headphones but one string, in particular, brought to mind a previous Google product seemingly never happened.
<string name=”voice_query_wrong_button4″>To talk to me or ask me a question, press and hold the Google Assistant button on the left earcup while talking.</string>
Left earcup.
A pretty clear indicator that these will be over-the-ear style headphones. That reminded me of these obscure images revealed by Android Police back in April.
Now, AP does go on to say that these headphones were actually intended as a replacement for Google’s in-house wired headphones with a similar design and that may very well be true. But, it wouldn’t be a far cry to think these headphones (or similar ones) could have the Assistant baked in.
This wouldn’t be the first set of Google-branded headphones but it will be a new horizon for the Assistant. I know I sound like a fanboy but what can I say, I am. If Google markets a set of noise-canceling headphones with the Assistant built-in, as long as the sound quality is comparable to my Samsungs, I’m buying them.
