Google Assistant on Android TVs Doesn't Require You to Repeat 'OK Google': Report

Google Assistant, the search giant's virtual assistant, seems to have evolved considerably on Android TVs from its mobile counterpart (and on Google Home) as reports are suggesting that it doesn't require repetition of "OK Google" before every command by user. Google recently announced at CES 2017 that Google Assistant will be making its way to Android TVs in the US via an update in coming months.

With support for Google Assistant, users are just required to give the "OK Google" command once and then continue their conversation with the digital assistant without repeating the command again, as per a report by Android Police. In comparison, users are required to repeat this command for the virtual assistant over and over again before you ask it any question on mobile devices or even Google Home.

As per the report, Google Assistant for Android TV comes with a continuous conversation mode due to which it keeps on listening to the user for a brief time after responding to a question to allow for the conversation to continue, if required by the user. This of course hints at an 'always listening' mode, something other manufacturers have faced a lot of flak over.

In a video demonstration, performed on Nvidia's newly-unveiled Shield, the user said the "OK Google" voice command just once but the conversation still continued in a smooth manner.

Notably, the user even took brief pauses before the voice commands and even then the Assistant allowed for the conversation to continue, which is not the case with Assistant on Pixel smartphones or Google Home.

Previously, Samsung received flak from customers for its always-listening TVs as the South Korean company's Smart TV privacy policy said, "be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition," as reported by CNET.

It will be interesting to see if the search giant will bring Google Assistant's continuous conversations feature to its mobile phones as well as voice-activated speakers going ahead.