DECEMBER 2019 PCWorld 65Motion Sense works the first time (nearly)
every time. So there’s definitely a solid
foundation to work with.
NEW ASSISTANT: GREAT IF
YOU CAN GET IT
The Pixel 4 is also the showcase for the “new”
Google Assistant, which is basically a
streamlined interface and a faster response
time. I didn’t get anywhere near the rapid-fire
speed that was demoed at Google I/O in
May, but it’s definitely improved.
The new Assistant interface is the bigger
story, and it’s vastly better than any other AI
chatbot, including Assistant on other devices.
Instead of a window that takes over part (or
all) of your screen, Assistant occupies a tiny
space at the bottom of the display that will
only expand to show you what you need to
see. With Continued Conversation enabled,
you’ll be able to ask
follow-up questions in
quick succession, and I
didn’t experience any
issues with it understanding
me (though issues are rare
with the old Assistant too).
Google hasn’t indicated
when or if the new Assistant
will be arriving on other
devices, though I have to
assume it will. Before that
happens, however, a few
things will need to be
cleared up. For one, the new Assistant only
works if you have gesture navigation enabled.
If you don’t, it will revert to the old interface. I
assume that’s due to the nav bar getting in the
way of Assistant’s new home, but that’s a weird
requirement since Android 10 is keeping the
old method around.
Even more confounding is the new
Assistant’s inability to play nicely with G Suite
for Business accounts that are separate from
whatever Google account you set for the
phone’s main profile. Even if there’s a dormant
secondary G Suite account on your phone, it
will block the new Assistant from showing up
for some reason, and it won’t appear unless
the second account is completely removed.
And in true Google fashion, there isn’t any
warning or explanation, so G Suite users
might not even realize they’re missing
anything. That’s simply unacceptable for aThe new Assistant on
the Pixel 4 is faster
and less intrusive.