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Google Assistant for Android Developers

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Elaine Dias Batista

@elainedbatista

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@elainedbatista

Elaine Dias Batista

@elainedbatista

@elainedbatista

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Outline

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  1. Assistant vs. Android
    1. Devices
    2. UI
    3. Development
    4. Distribution
  2. Mixing both
    • App Actions
    • Google Maps / Chrome
    • Android app from Assistant
    • Action from Android app
  3. Integrating "Google Assistant"-like features into Android apps
  4. Final thoughts

@elainedbatista

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Assistant vs. Android

  1. Devices
  2. UI
  3. Development
  4. Distribution

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Assistant vs. Android

  • Devices
  • UI
  • Development
  • Distribution

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  1. Devices

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  • Devices

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  1. Devices - Conclusion
  • Android is an Operating System capable of running the Google Assistant
    • and you can launch it fairly easily on it
  • The Google Assistant is a piece of software that works on a bunch of OSs
    • Android / iOS
    • Chrome OS, KaiOS
    • … and others

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Assistant vs. Android

  • Devices
  • UI
  • Development
  • Distribution

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1. UI on a phone - Launching an app

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  • VUI / UI on Smart Displays

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Assistant vs. Android

  • Devices
  • UI
  • Development
  • Distribution

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3. Development

Actions on Google

  • Node.js / Java (Kotlin) official libraries
  • Conversation API (REST calls)
  • Dialogflow
  • Google Assistant SDK

Android SDK

  • Java / Kotlin
  • JS, Flutter, Xamarin...

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3. Development

  • You can have a Google Assistant Action without having an Android app

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Assistant vs. Android

  • Devices
  • UI
  • Development
  • Distribution

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4. Distribution

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4. Distribution

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Mixing the two platforms

  • App Actions
  • The Google Maps / Chrome cases
  • Calling an Android app from the Assistant
  • Calling an Action from and Android app

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@elainedbatista

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Mixing the two platforms

  • App Actions
  • The Google Maps / Chrome cases
  • Calling an Android app from the Assistant
  • Calling an Action from and Android app

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App Actions

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App Actions - Launcher

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App Actions - Play Store

  • Installed apps
    • Deep-link into it
  • Not installed apps
    • Open details page
    • Deep-link after installation

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App Actions

  • Users don't want to simply "open" an app, they want to get something done

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  • App Actions are a new way of re-engaging with your users in the right context at the right moment

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  • Based on Actions on Google's Built-in Intents

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App Actions - Shameless plug

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Mixing the two platforms

  • App Actions
  • The Google Maps / Chrome cases
  • Calling an Android app from the Assistant
  • Calling an Action from and Android app

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@elainedbatista

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Google Maps "Assistant" integration

  • "OK Google, show restaurants nearby"

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Mixing the two platforms

  • App Actions
  • The Google Maps / Chrome cases
  • Calling an Android app from the Assistant
  • Calling an Action from and Android app

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From Assistant to Android App

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Mixing the two platforms

  • App Actions
  • The Google Maps / Chrome cases
  • Calling an Android app from the Assistant
  • Calling an Action from and Android app

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@elainedbatista

@elainedbatista

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From Android App to Assistant

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Integrating "Google Assistant"-like features into Android apps

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Integrating "Google Assistant"-like features into Android mobile apps

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Integrating conversational features

  • Recipes app

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  • Taxi driver app

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  • AR app

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Integrating conversational features

  1. Hot-word/wake word detection (optional but preferred)

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  • NLP/NLU SDK for mobile

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Integrating conversational features

​

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Shameless plug n. 2

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Android ML - https://developer.android.com/ml

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Final thoughts

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Final thoughts

  • Don't try to simply port all the features from your current app into the Assistant
    • Think about the appropriate use cases - start with 1 or 2
    • They have to make sense as a conversation
  • Integrating features into an existing mobile app is a great way to get your users accustomed to this new technology

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Final thoughts

  • If you already have an app:
    • Develop 1 or 2 features for the Assistant (if they make sense) and see how it goes - it's a new channel that your users are on
  • If you don't have an app yet:
    • Try both approaches (app, action) - you can even make a "voice first" mobile app experience

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Final thoughts

  • Google Assistant is still new
  • Think outside the box

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Google I/O 2019

What to Expect

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Google Assistant - What's Coming

Home

Mobile (Android)

Car

NBU

(Next Billion Users)

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Google I/O 2019

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Thanks!

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