Alpha Version Google Search App Brings Assistant to Non-Pixel Devices

An alpha version of Google Search makes it possible to use Google Assistant on non-Pixel Android phones. However, this does not work on all devices. In addition, this app version has quite a few bugs, which strongly suggests that the update was put online by mistake.

According to Android Police, the alpha version of Google Search was distributed to users who signed up for beta updates in Android. The update, with version number 6.13, would replace Now On Tap with Assistant in about half of the tested devices. For example, on a Galaxy Note 5 running on Android 6.0.1, it worked. It also works on a Nexus 6P with Android 7.1.1. It’s not clear exactly which devices get Assistant and why.

Google’s digital assistant, simply called Assistant, is one of the major selling points for the new Pixel phones the company released last year. The assistant is also in the smart Google Home speaker. There have been reports for some time that Assistant is also coming to other devices, but Google itself has not yet officially announced anything.

In addition to Assistant activation, this alpha version also includes the option to enter payment details in the app. It was already known that Google is working on this feature and while the company is clearly getting closer to an actual release of this feature, that moment has not yet arrived. At the moment, users can enter payment details, but not yet actually make payments.

In addition, there is an overview page with recent searches, a lite mode that simplifies results pages and offline searching, Android Police reports in its teardown. If you want to try the alpha version of Google Search yourself, you can download it from apkmirror.com, for example.

Image: Android Police