[Update: Movies] Google adds Podcasts, recipe cards to Assistant Snapshot feed

Abner Li | Jul 13 2020 - 3:05 pm PT

Assistant’s Snapshot feed is the spiritual successor to Google Now. Since rolling out in March, Google Assistant has added more capabilities with Podcasts and recipes being the latest to join Snapshot.

Original 6/22: After waking up, we’ve encountered a “Start listening for a fresh morning” card that provides “Podcasts for you.” This section is expanded by default and features a carousel of episodes. The title, date, and duration appear underneath the cover art, while tapping “Explore Podcasts” will open the full app to the appropriate tab.

Suggestions include current show subscriptions, and those that you might like based on listening history. This Assistant Snapshot card joins an existing one to “Resume your podcast.”

Meanwhile, some users are also seeing a “Plan today’s meals” card (via Android Police). The “Recipe ideas for you” carousel style is similar, but with a different icon and cover illustration. Google provides a sample image and other recipe details, like rating. Below are suggestion chips for terms like “Easy” and “Healthy,” with the card collapsible and appearing/disappearing based on the time of day.

Both these cards also appear on Smart Displays. This suggests a commonality between the two Assistant-powered feeds, with the Android version benefiting from existing work. Google previously added a “COVID-19 alert” item that’s essentially the Knowledge Panel from Search.

Update 7/13: Snapshot’s latest card shows “Top picks for home viewing.” “Watch a movie tonight” provides four options in the carousel with cover image, year released, genre, and runtime noted. Tapping slides up a sheet with ratings, trailers, and other details. Lastly, there’s a list of “Available on” services.