Here's a closer look at some of the new Google Assistant features in Wear OS

Wear OS

We've gotten a closer look at some of the new features that are now available on the Wear OS platform at Google IO 2018

The main feature we saw is, naturally, a much more robust Google Assistant. Now, when you ask a question to the voice assistant on your smartwatch, you'll receive a more thorough answer to your query than you would have in the past.

When you ask for the next train to San Francisco, for example, not only do you get that answer, but you'll also see the schedule for the next several trains as well.

Wear OS has added these Google Assistant smart suggestions so your smartwatch is, well, smart. You'll get more information than you asked for, formatted to fit a tiny screen.

Plan your trip accordingly

Plan your trip accordingly

What's more, you can continue asking Google Assistant questions by simply taping the microphone icon, rather than pressing the watch's crown button and starting the whole process over again.

See more with the improved Google Assistant on Wear OS

See more with the improved Google Assistant on Wear OS

There was also a robotic LG vacuum on display that was controlled through a Wear OS smartwatch thanks to the latter's newfound support for Actions, which essentially let you control smart home devices through your smartwatch.

And while not on display at IO, another improvement coming to Wear OS is Google Assistant's ability to use your smartwatch's built-in speaker, giving Google Assistant the same voice on your smartwatch as it would have on any other Android device. 

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Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.

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