Sony has finally brought Google Assistant support to its WH-1000XM2 and WI-1000X wireless headphones. This comes months after the Japanese electronics giant had first announced, back at CES 2018, that some of its existing audio products would receive optimisation for Google Assistant. Support for Google’s virtual assistant is now rolling it and can be installed by users through an OTA (over-the-air) update on their eligible headphone models.
The update will be available for the over-ear WH-1000XM2 headphones and the in-ear WI-1000X earphones with the latest 2.0.0 software update, reports AndroidPolice. With Google Assistant integration, the headphones now feature iOS device support, voice notifications, and faster push-to-talk capabilities. According to the report, after the update, users can toggle the noise cancellation button to trigger Assistant. Apart from the two headsets, Sony has also promised Assistant integration for WF-1000X, WH-CH900N, and h.ear on 2 WH-900N.
Back at CES 2018 in January, Sony showcased several new headphones – including, WF-SP700N noise-cancelling headset, WI-S600N sports-centric headset, MDR-1AM2 headphones, and other Extra Bass options. Among these, the WF-SP700N and WI-S600N were announced to get Google Assistant integration. There are currently no timelines for the update on these headsets.
Even JBL, at CES 2018, had unveiled three new headphones with the same Google Assistant functionality. These include the JBL Everest 310GA on-ear variant, JBL Everest 710GA around-ear model, and JBL Everest 110GA in-ear headphones.
Separately, Xiaomi smart home products including the Mi Bedside Lamp, Mi LED Smart Bulb, and Mi Smart Plug got support for Google Assistant recently. These gadgets are coming to the US starting later this month.