Google Assistant to make iOS debut as standalone app: Report

According to a new report from Android Police, Google is bringing its Assistant platform to Apple's iOS as a standalone app.

The announcement could come as soon as Wednesday, when Google kicks off its annual developer conference, Google I/O.

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ZDNet has asked Google for a comment and will update this post should we hear back.

Google Assistant is built into Android devices, and it's activated with a long-press of the home button or with a voice wake command of "OK Google."

Due to Apple's limitations in iOS, interaction with Assistant will be limited to user interaction within the Google Assistant app. Meaning, users won't have the option replace Siri with Google Assistant.

The report also states the initial iOS launch of Google Assistant will be limited to the US, and that users will use a combination of text entry (similar to a chat app) and voice to interact with Assistant.

At the conference, Google is expected to dish out more details surrounding the upcoming release of the Android O operating system, dive into updates for Google Home and Assistant, and perhaps some announce updates to the company's Chromecast and Chromebook platforms.

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