Google ends support for third-party smart displays

Google has quietly ended ‘software’ support for smart displays from brands like LG, Lenovo and JBL that featured the company’s Assistant built-in and other company services.

Google announced the implementation of its Assistant on more smart screens in January 2018, as part of the CES show that year. These devices, which combine the functions of a smart speaker with a touch screen, came from companies like JBL, Lenovo and LG with the integrated virtual assistant.

On these screens, users have found Google services such as YouTube, Duo or Photos, in addition to the virtual assistant itself, but their experience on them is going to change, since the technology company has stopped providing software updates.

Specifically, in the ‘Make Duo calls with a speaker or screen’ section of Google Nest Help, when referring to compatible devices, the page in Spanish only indicates that it is available on the “Google Nest Hub and Google Nest Hub Max.”

It is on the English page where the reason is clarified: “Google no longer provides software updates for these third-party smart displays: Lenovo Smart Display (7″, 8″ and 10″), JBL Link View and LG Xboom AI ThinQ WK9 SmartDisplay”.

In February 2019, Google announced changes to its strategy with manufacturer partners and its Android Things ecosystem, following the success of third-party Assistant-enabled devices. But since the end of that year, it began to withdraw support for different services and limit them to Nest Hub devices, which also work with another operating system (FuchsiaOS), owned by Google.

Source: dpa

(Reference image source: James Yarema, Unsplash)

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