Underutilized tools on Google Assistant will be deprecated; here’s the complete list

They will effectively be deprecated by January 26.

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Published onJanuary 11, 2024

published onJanuary 11, 2024

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It’s been 10 days into 2024, and Google is already taking care of its business. Besidesthe major layoffshappening in the company these days, the tech giant is also getting rid of theunderutilized toolson Google Assistant, and it’s planning to effectively deprecate them by January 26.

Users who enjoy using Google Assistant should be aware of the changes, as many tools from it won’t be available anymore. So, if you’ve got a tool inside Google Assistant that you use often, chances are it will be gone by the end of the month. Here’s what Google has to say about the decision:

First, as we continue to make Google Assistant more helpful, we’re prioritizing the experiences you love and investing in the underlying technology to make them even better — which means that some underutilized features will no longer be supported. You can find a list of these features, including suggestions of what you can use in place of them (where alternatives are available). Beginning on January 26, when you ask for one of these features, you may get a notification that it won’t be available after a certain date.

This is not all, though. According to the tech giant, the Microphone icon will now look up results based on the user’s search queries. This means opening up Google Assistant is becoming a bit harder: you’ll have to explicitly say Hey Google, for it to open.

The microphone icon will now trigger Search results in response to your queries, which is its most popular use case. You can continue to activate Assistant as you always have: Just say “Hey Google” or long press on the home or power button (on select phones) onAndroid, or open the Google Assistant app oniOS.

So, say goodbye to using the microphone icon for tasks such as turning off the lights, or sending a text. Either way, below you’ll find the list of the soon-to-be deprecated tools on Google Assistant.

Underutilized tools on Google Assistant will be deprecated; here's the complete list

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Underutilized tools on Google Assistant will be deprecated; here’s the complete list

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Underutilized tools on Google Assistant will be deprecated; here’s the complete list#

Here is the list of Google Assistant’s deprecated tools#

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Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Underutilized tools on Google Assistant will be deprecated; here’s the complete list

Here is the list of Google Assistant’s deprecated tools