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Now, Google Assistant takes care of calls placed on hold

Now, Google Assistant takes care of calls placed on hold

By Shubham Sharma
Oct 02, 2020
12:02 am
What's the story

At last night's event, Google showcased plenty of hardware, starting from new 5G-capable Pixel phones to Nest Audio. Along with these tempting devices, the company also had some fancy software quirks to present. Case in point: A new 'Hold for Me' capability that is set to debut on Google Assistant sometime in the future. Here is all you need to know about it.

Feature

So, what exactly is 'Hold for Me'?

'Hold for Me' is the latest Google Assistant trick for improving the experience of phone calls. The feature, as Google explained, will stay on the line on your behalf if someone places you on hold. When the person on the other side picks up, it notifies about their return, allowing you to take over and talk.

Working

How it works?

In an early demonstration, the feature appeared to work pretty seamlessly. Basically, after being placed on hold, all one has to do is tap on a dedicated button on the call screen. This activates the Assistant, which starts listening in on the call for you, giving you a chance to return to things that are more important than that awful music of held calls.

Captions

Screen keeps showing what's going on

When Google Assistant stays on the line, you will have the option to go back to call with a dedicated 'Return to call' button appearing on the screen. It will also show real-time captions to help you monitor what is being said (or played) on the other side as well as offer a button to hang up the call if the need comes.

Alerts

When someone answers, it will alert you through sounds, vibrations

As and when a person answers the held call, Assistant will ask them to wait while issuing alerts for you to take over. This will be done through sound, vibration, and an on-screen notification so that you can join immediately and talk to the person on the other side. Notably, the entire work here is being done by Google's Duplex AI technology.

Data

Feature does not share data with Google

All data captured by 'Hold for Me' is processed locally on the device, rather than the cloud, and deleted within 48 hours. The information, which includes the call audio and its transcripts, is not shared with Google or associated with the user's account unless specified otherwise. The capability will come with the new Pixel phones and become available on older ones through 'feature drops'.

Twitter Post

A glimpse of Hold for Me