Google starts sending out 'Hey Google' command phrase to more Android-powered devices

Google has finally rolled out the "Hey Google" command phrase to more Android phones. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Google has started releasing "Hey Google" trigger phrase to more Android-powered phones.

Android Police reports that users may now call the Google Assistant on more Android phones via the command "Hey Google." The "Hey Google" command initially started rolling out in October. This will officially replace Google Assistant's old command phrase "Ok Google," which was deemed "awkward" to say by some users.

Some Android users have already begun receiving a notification that is advising them to retrain their voice models for them to begin using the "Hey Google" command. According to Android Headlines, the "Hey Google" command has already reached users of the following phones: Xiaomi Mi A1 and Mi 5, Moto G5S Plus, OnePlus 5, Google Pixel and Nexus models, Samsung Galaxy S7, and Galaxy S7 Edge.

For users who have not yet received the notification, all they have to do is update the Voice settings manually on their Google Search app.

According to Android Authority, Google's move on implementing the "Hey Google" command phrase for the Android devices' Google Assistant is a "shot" on Amazon Echo smart speakers' assistant, "Alexa" which uses a much firmer command.

Amazon's "Alexa" is currently used in a lot of Amazon products, such as the Echo Look. The Echo Look is a camera that can recommend outfit recommendations using a machine learning algorithms with advice from fashion specialists. The Echo Plus, on the other hand, is a smart home hub that can control smart devices within a home. The Echo Plus was released on Oct. 31.

The "Hey Google" command line is already implemented to Google Home devices such as the Smart Speaker (using Google Assistant) that allows users to listen to music, control playback of videos/photos, and receive the latest news just by using the designated command line. Google's Assistant is also integrated into third-party home automation devices.