Despite all its previous achievements, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) will not just slide back to its comfort zone. It is still seeking to grow its presence in the mobile ecosystem. Besides, its Android OS, which is currently one of the most ubiquitous Smartphone platforms, is quickly embracing market leadership. Not to mention the search engine’s Google Assistant, which is also growing in popularity.
The company says that it is soon rolling out the AI-based personal helper into Google’s Pixel phones. The feature first hit the Android 6.0 and 7.0 devices in the US before moving into Canada, Australia, Germany and the UK markets. The company objective is to have a global roll out of the assistant even though it’s aware that it must embrace stiff competition.
Google’s product leader for the Google Assistant, Gummi Hafsteinsson says, “Our goal is to make the Assistant available anywhere you need it. It came to Android Wear 2.0—via new Smartwatches—just a few weeks ago and, as we previewed in January, the Assistant is also coming to TVs and cars.”’
Google Assistant was a must-do for Google
The introduction of Google Assistant was Google’s move into embracing the mobile ecosystem market. Apparently, it is a goal that the company could have been planning for over the last five years. Nonetheless, the delay is not unexpected.
The company may have opted for a slower roll out to ensure that everything was working right especially for the Android device fragmentation. The feature was perhaps not well planned at the time Pixel was being launched in October. The other explanation is that Google may have been waiting to take advantage of the upcoming event; the big Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The event is expected to bring forth a wave of new Smartphones
The MWC is expected to showcase the newest Smartphones in the industry. Rumor has it that Google’s Assistant will for the first time be appearing on new devices from the likes of HTC Corp (TPE:2498), Huawei, and Sony Corp (ADR)(NYSE:SNE). This will be a change over from its current limitation of to a selection of Google-branded hardware and software.
In the meantime, Alphabet’s stock closed at $847.81 a decline of $3.19 or 0.37%.
