We have been learning a lot about the Sony Xperia XZ3 as of late. While some rumors turned out to be false, we do know that it will launch with an OLED screen and have Android 9 Pie on board. The company had only just finished launching the Xperia XZ2 Premium a couple of months ago, but they are ready to move on and their new device has a surprise for those who are fans of Google Assistant. Sony Mobile has officially announced that the Xperia XZ3 will come with Google Assistant voice commands that will not be available on other devices.
Smartphone OEMs adding in unique Google Assistant voice commands to their device is a rather new feature that not many devices currently have right now. One device that sticks out is the LG G7 ThinQ which we went hands-on with earlier this year. During our time with the device, we learned that LG worked with Google to create some unique Google Assistant voice commands that didn't work on other devices. This included voice commands for using the wide-angle lens, opening the camera app in manual mode, and more.
This feature itself seems to stem from something Google announced all the way back in February of this year. It's called the Assistant Mobile OEM program and it allows companies to build deeper integrations between the Assistant and device features. It's interesting that we haven't seen this feature used more often in new phones this year, but Sony has stood up and said they are happy to offer some unique voice commands to those who purchase the Xperia XZ3.
Firstly, you'll be able to activate Google assistant on the Xperia XZ3 by double tapping the power button, press and hold down the home button, or simply saying “Hey Google.” The software will support English, Japanese, German, Spanish, and French at launch and you'll have some unique commands to try out. These will be Xperia-unique experiences that you can do simply by talking to Google Assistant.
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Hey Google, open Side sense settings.
- Which will let you change which apps appear in your Side sense menu
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Hey Google, what is Side sense? (or) Hey Google, tell me about Side sense.
- Will activate Google Assistant and have it teach you more about how Side sense works
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Hey Google, what is Smart launch?
- This command will show you about the phones new Smart launch feature and it will also see an introduction demo for it as well.
- Hey Google, take a 4K HDR movie.
- Hey Google, take a Super-slow-motion video.
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Hey Google, open 3D Creator.
- Each of these commands uses Google Assistant to open up specific apps and some of them will actually perform specific actions once the application has been launched.
There's a lot of new software features that Sony has been developing for the Xperia XZ3. Not only does Sony want them to be available with a simple voice command, but you can also learn about the new features by asking Google Assistant.