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It would seem Google Assistant with Bard is closer than ever to arriving on some phones. Announced back at the yearly Google hardware event in October of 2023, the overhauled and AI-injected Assistant with Bard has been leaking out here and there, and this latest look (from the Pixel Tips app) shows off the new, hopefully more-capable Assistant in action. Check it out!
Limited initial release
According to Mishaal Rahman on X, we’ll only see Bard come to the aid of the ailing Assistant on a few phones to start; and likely in March. The publication date in the Pixel Tips app is set for March, so it’s a simple assumption that the earliest versions of Assistant with Bard will arrive with the March Pixel update. Additionally, it looks like we’ll only see an initial availability on Pixel slab phones with Tensor inside. Sorry Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 5 and earlier. No Bard for you all just yet.
But those restrictions – at least the Tensor-specific parts – will likely lift after some initial testing. If the Pixel 6 can handle Assistant with Bard, there’s no reason devices like the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold can’t do the same. When March rolls around, however, if you don’t have a Pixel 6, Pixel 7 or Pixel 8 around, you are likely going to be left out of the initial phases.
As I said above, I’m eager to see this all tested out by regular people. The Google Assistant has languished as a helpful, digital aid in the past year and it’s going to take a massive overhaul to convince users that they should even consider giving it a try again. While Bard (and Google’s Gemini overall) has the ability to bring that vitality back, I’m sure I speak for many users when I say that I’ll be taking a slow, measured approach to actually using any digital assistant for more than simple tasks like driving directions moving forward.
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