Google is unveiling the latest version of its Android software alongside new plans to put the software in cars.
The firm is also expected to unveil a new iOS version of its smart assistant for the iPhone.
CEO Sundar Pichai first revealed over 2 billion people are now using Android, and said the future was about speech and vision.
‘We are clearly at an inflection point with vision, so we are announcing Google Lens.
‘If you run into something and you want to know what it is, you can point your phone at it,’ Pichai said.
The software will be able to recognise plants and even log onto wifi simply by pointing the phone at a password.
‘With Google Lens, your smartphone camera won’t just see what you see, but will also understand what you see to help you take action,’ the firm said.
‘We are starting to understand imaged, this has profound implications,’ he said.
Google is expected to give the crowd a look at new twists in its Android software for mobile devices.
Executives are also likely to detail plans for expanding the reach and capabilities of a voice-controlled digital assistant currently available on some smartphones and an internet-connected speaker called Home.
Some of the unveiled products won’t be out until later this year.
GE Appliances announced a deal with Google Wednesday enabling the US tech giant’s voice control home hub to be used for cooking, cleaning and other functions.
The deal enables GE’s ‘Geneva’ to communicate with the Google Assistant, so users can say: ‘Ok Google, ask Geneva Home to set the oven timer for 10 minutes.’
The announcement comes nearly a year after GE Appliances unveiled a similar tie-up with Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers.
It also comes as Google was expected to unveil more partnerships and initiatives in artificial intelligence at its developers conference in California.
‘Everyone’s busy these days and our consumers are looking for simpler and more convenient ways to control their home, especially when busy in the kitchen or working around the house,’ said Liz VerSchure, vice president at GE Appliances, a unit of the Chinese electronics group Haier.
‘Integrating our full suite of connected appliances with the Google Assistant makes it easier for owners to control their appliances and get on with their day.’
Consumers will be able to use voice commands to preheat their own meals, or check if laundry or dishes are cleaned with connected GE appliances, the companies said.
Google and its parent company Alphabet have been seeking to diversify beyond internet search to new kinds of services, many focused on artificial intelligence which powers its Google Home hub and other devices.
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