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Google Assistant gets renamed ‘Communication’ settings as new Family Broadcast rolls out

Last week, Google announced that Assistant Family Broadcasts from Smart Displays and speakers can now appear on phones. That feature is widely rolled out today along with a renamed “Communication” menu in Google Assistant settings.

This Google Assistant settings menu was previously called “Voice & video calls,” but has now been renamed “Communication.” (It also moves up the alphabetically ordered list as a result.) “Broadcast” is the newest addition, while “Device & Call Settings” was introduced last month with Google Home 2.36 as part of the “Only ring when home” capability.

  • Call Providers: Set up Google Voice, Your own number, or Google Fi to make/receive calls on Google Home and Smart Displays  
  • Video & Voice Apps: Zoom or Google Duo set-up
  • Device & Call Settings: Only ring when home
  • Broadcast: Two preferences
  • Your contacts: Household contacts speed dial

From the new menu, users can set whether to receive “Broadcast on personal devices,” specifically Android and iOS phones/tablets. Meanwhile, you have the option to determine whether “guests can send broadcasts from your home devices to your family members’ personal devices, such as their phones.”

They may see family names and profile photos of your family members in the process. Please inform your guests about who’s in your family group so they know who’ll get the broadcasts.

This page links to a Google Support article with more details. 

More about Google Assistant:

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

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

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