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I'm saddened by the continued fragmentation. "Google Assistant" replaces the Google search bar... but only on the Pixel? So this is yet another Android device

I'm saddened by the continued fragmentation. "Google Assistant" replaces the Google search bar... but only on the Pixel? So this is yet another Android device that behaves differently from every other. The exclusive carrier is Verizon. Why not Google Fi? The default video app is Duo. Why not Hangouts? Does "Google Now On Tap" get replaced by the assistant for the Pixel? Is that just for the Pixel? I don't get it. I don't understand how Google can think this produces a cohesive, meaningful experience for their users when they keep changing things or fragmenting their platforms. Edit: Full disclosure, my only smartphone is a Nexus 5X. I like it, I don't like Google's platform chaos.

anderber 10y ago
The phones are available on Fi and at Google Store for full value or financing. I think Google Now On Tap is gone.
- dlubarov 10y ago
  Did you see the stream? One of the presenters used Now on Tap (or something similar) to look up a restaurant which was mentioned in an SMS.
  - bergie 10y ago
    It looked like the Now on Tap functionality was merged with the assistant. Start assistant from homescreen: blank conversation. Start assistant from screen with something on it: conversation with context grabbed from the screen.
  - anderber 10y ago
    I believe that was the assistant. I meant as a product it was gone, it's just now part of Google Assistant.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
72deluxe 10y ago
I see this too. And I have stopped watching I/O yearly due to the incessant changes of UI every year, undoing what the recommended the previous year (position of buttons, menus, slide out menus). It is wearying. Nobody would accept that kind of stunt on other platforms, eg. PC. They are in a difficult situation though - if they don't announce new stuff, the short-sighted industry will think they are stagnating, instead of being robust and reliable and having mature APIs that you can count on not to change.
- 72deluxe 10y ago
  BTW I must say I am happy with Android as a platform and phone (got a Wileyfox Swift with update ROMs from Cyanogen) but as a developer I find the ping-pong changes tiring. I'm not here just to bash Android.

anderber 10y ago

The phones are available on Fi and at Google Store for full value or financing. I think Google Now On Tap is gone.

dlubarov 10y ago
Did you see the stream? One of the presenters used Now on Tap (or something similar) to look up a restaurant which was mentioned in an SMS.
- bergie 10y ago
  It looked like the Now on Tap functionality was merged with the assistant. Start assistant from homescreen: blank conversation. Start assistant from screen with something on it: conversation with context grabbed from the screen.
- anderber 10y ago
  I believe that was the assistant. I meant as a product it was gone, it's just now part of Google Assistant.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

72deluxe 10y ago

I see this too. And I have stopped watching I/O yearly due to the incessant changes of UI every year, undoing what the recommended the previous year (position of buttons, menus, slide out menus). It is wearying. Nobody would accept that kind of stunt on other platforms, eg. PC. They are in a difficult situation though - if they don't announce new stuff, the short-sighted industry will think they are stagnating, instead of being robust and reliable and having mature APIs that you can count on not to change.

72deluxe 10y ago
BTW I must say I am happy with Android as a platform and phone (got a Wileyfox Swift with update ROMs from Cyanogen) but as a developer I find the ping-pong changes tiring. I'm not here just to bash Android.