Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Google Now gets even smarter with contextual information through Now on Tap

By
Sundar Pichai stands in front of a Google logo at Google I/O 2021.
This story is part of our complete Google I/O coverage

During Google I/O, the company’s annual developer conference, Google announced it will make its virtual assistant Google Now even smarter with Now on Tap, which adds contextual information and improved natural language support.

At its core, Now on Tap looks at what is on your screen and takes relevant actions, based on what you need in that moment. For example, if you’re listening to music on Spotify, you can ask for the artist’s given name, without specifically saying the artist’s stage name, and Google Now will provide you an answer. Another example Google highlighted is when you’re reading an email that talks about movies. Pressing and holding the home button will present you with various Google Now cards for each of the movies, so you can check out a synopsis or grab tickets.

Recommended Videos

Of course, Now on Tap can work in a variety of scenarios, such as Google Now automatically pulling up restaurant reviews and hours when you text someone about dinner plans. However, it can also work in simpler scenarios, such as presenting you with a definition card when you tap on a word in Chrome.

As Google Now product director Aparna Chennapragada described it, “We want to proactively bring you answers. Not just geometry, but when are they busy, when are they open, and what are you likely to need when you’re there?” Chennapragada teased that there might be more to Now on Tap than Google decided to share at I/O, as the Google Now product director said the company will share more information over the next few months.

Chennapragada alluded that the updated Google Now has very close ties to the company’s upcoming Android M release, which should arrive later this year. As such, we might expect the updated Google Now to be available for phones running the upcoming version of Android. Google Now’s contextual knowledge comes as Apple is rumored to announce its own Google Now competitor during WWDC, the company’s annual developer conference, early next month.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Williams Pelegrin
Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
The 10 most important things to know about the Google Pixel 8a
Promo image for the Google Pixel 8a, showing renders of the phone in all four colors.

Google has just announced the next Pixel A-series device -- the new Google Pixel 8a. The A-series is the more budget-friendly Pixel option, and it comes out halfway in the cycle to the next mainline Pixel device.

This year, the Pixel 8a offers some big upgrades over its predecessor, the Google Pixel 7a. It’s also more similarly matched with the standard Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, both of which came out in October 2023.

Read more
This Google Pixel 8a leak just spoiled everything about the phone
A person holding the Google Pixel 8, showing the back of the phone.

Previous leaked render of the Google Pixel 8a. Smart Prix

We are, in theory, only just over a month away from an official unveiling of Google's newest midrange smartphone, the Google Pixel 8a. However, it seems you won't have to wait until Google I/O 2024 to find out what Google has planned, as a leaker has just revealed everything we need to know about the latest entry in the Pixel roster.

Read more
Google I/O 2023 is happening on May 10 with an in-person event

It's that time of year once again. The days are getting longer, the gray skies of winter are slowly fading away, and it's almost time for another Google I/O. While it's a given that we have a new I/O each year, Google always puts on a little show when announcing the date for the next one. And now, we officially know when Google I/O 2023 will take place.

The opening keynote for this year's I/O is taking place at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. In its email confirming the time and date, Google says, "Join a select audience to learn about Google’s latest innovations and developer solutions that help you work smarter and improve productivity." The opening keynote for I/O 2023 — where most of the big news and announcements are revealed — kicks off at 10 a.m. PT on May 10.

Read more