Google’s speaker-based Home device may be getting an update to its voice actions in time for I/O 2017 if recent events are any indication. On May 1st, several new commands pertaining specifically to the event were temporarily activated for the device and shown in the Google Home app itself. The Home application even received a list of example commands, including “Talk to Google I/O 2017.” Other examples followed that specific phrase with suggestions such as “about the date,” “about the keynote,” and “about the location.” The new voice actions were only available for a few hours before being pulled from the app. Unfortunately, the voice commands didn’t elicit any kind of response from the virtual assistant, but that could be because the actual event doesn’t start until May 17.
Google has not commented about whether or not the actions were pushed by accident or as part of some kind of internal test. However, it could still be a good indication that the search giant has big plans to use voice actions for Google Home to get news to users both about and from the upcoming developer’s conference. Example lists for voice interactions, such as the one shown in the Google Home application, are almost never exhaustive. That leaves the door wide open for how the company might intend to use the device with regard to the event. However, without any comment from Google about the voice actions – and because they were pulled so quickly – it is really impossible to know whether the company has any intention to use them at all.
That said, it makes sense that Google would want to open up as many ways for people to learn about the goings-on at I/O as possible. Attendance to the conference is limited by space and to those who can gain access before that space is filled up. Others can watch the event through live streams or other digital means, but not everybody has time for that or even time to search for the media. Giving users the ability to quickly get news updates through Google Home would be a great way to showcase the product, as well as helping those updates to reach as many people as possible.
