Google Assistant Now Available on iPads

Step aside, Siri. Google Assistant is now available on iPads.

After launching its Siri and Alexa rival on iPhones last May, Google is now bringing its digital helper to Apple tablets as well.

"The Assistant on iPad can do everything the Assistant on your iPhone can do, with the added benefit of a bigger screen that supports both portrait and landscape mode," Google Assistant Product Manager Brendan Lim wrote in a blog post. You can, for instance, use the voice-based virtual assistant to set reminders, check the weather, send text messages, control smart home devices, cast content to your Chromecast-enabled TV, and a lot more.

"Plus, you can stay productive by multitasking on iPad with iOS 11, letting you chat with the Assistant while you play a game, plan a trip, or check your calendar," Lim wrote.

Assistant is rolling out to iPads today, and will be available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish.

Meanwhile, a new Assistant feature called routines can help you take care of several tasks with a single command. "For example, say 'Hey Google, I'm home' and the Assistant on your Google Home or phone can turn on the lights, share any home reminders, play your favorite music and more, all with just four words," Google Vice President of Product Nick Fox explained in a blog post last month.

Google Assistant is also learning a bunch of new languages. By the end of the year, Google expects it to work in more than 30 languages, up from eight today.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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