Skip to main content

Google Assistant Actions add more languages, Android app deep linking, faster user workflow

On Friday, Google announced that Assistant would gain multilingual support, more languages, and Routines throughout 2018. To aid developers with this expansion, the company is making it easier to bring Actions on Google abroad, while apps will be better able to integrate with Assistant.

Starting today, developers can build Actions for Google in seven new languages: Hindi, Thai, Indonesian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Dutch. This brings the total to 16 supported languages, with Google using its community program to encourage localization of existing apps.

Meanwhile, Actions are adding support in the coming weeks for deep linking to a specific intent in an Android app. For example, an Action that displays a parking pass could display a suggestion that directly opens the full pass details page in the Android app.

A new askForPlace conversation helper integrates the Google Places API to make location queries faster and easier. In practice, developers no longer have to create their own conversation workflows for location requests and can just use Google’s.

Using the new helper, the Assistant leverages Google Maps’ location and points of interest (POI) expertise to provide fast, accurate places for all your users’ location queries. Once the location details have been sorted out with the user, the Assistant returns the conversation back to your Action so the user can finish the interaction.

Today’s last change make Actions faster for regular app users. Specifically, it gets rid of introductory prompts for repeat users so that they can get into the Action as quickly as possible.


Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com