Google’s new feature makes it easier to send instant messages via Google Now
30 Jul 2015
Google has added a new feature to its Search app, which makes it easier for users to send an instant message via Google Now.
The move comes under the latest Google Search app update and gives users the ability to send text messages via leading third-party messaging apps using the 'Ok Google' voice-command.
For instance, if a user needed to send a message to someone on WhatsApp, they could simply say "Ok Google, send a WhatsApp message to Sam, 'let's do dinner tomorrow night'," and the launcher would send the message using the app.
Users also had the option breaking it up into two steps, "Ok Google, send a WhatsApp message to Joe," after which they would get a prompt asking them to dictate their message.
Among the apps the new Google Now supported are WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat, Telegram and NextPlus.
Users should however have the latest version of both the messaging app and Google Search app to use the feature.
According to the search giant, the feature currently supported English language only, but would add other languages later.
Sunil Vemuri, Google product manager, in the blog post introducing the new feature, said, "With all of us spending so much time in apps, we've been working to add new ways to surface the right content from your apps at the right time.
"Over the past few months, you may have seen Now cards from many of your favourite apps and new waysto also get things done across your apps by just asking Google something, like 'Ok Google, Shazam this song' or 'Show me apartments for rent near me on Zillow.' So type less and speak more-your thumbs will thank you."
Google added, that the app would now also show the busiest times of the week at millions of places and businesses around the world. Users could just search for a particular place, type in the title and see how busy it got throughout the day.
The service received an update in February with the addition of 'Now cards' from 40 new third-party apps to its cards list.
Google had partnered with 40 popular apps to make their versions of Now cards and these included news sites such as The Guardian and The Economist, travel sites such as Airbnb and TripAdvisor.
