OpenAI’s ChatGPT could potentially replace Google Assistant as the default voice assistant on Android phones in the near future. Recent developments suggest that the developers behind ChatGPT’s Android app are working on an option to set it as the default assistant app.
An APK teardown of ChatGPT v1.2023.352 by Android expert Mishaal Rahman revealed a new activity called com.openai.voice.assistant.AssistantActivity. Although it is currently disabled, enabling the activity triggered a ChatGPT overlay with an animation similar to the voice chat mode in the app. This overlay appears on the screen without occupying the entire display, much like invoking Google Assistant by long-pressing the power or home button.
However, it is important to note that this feature is still a work in progress and does not function properly at the moment. The Android Authority report also discovered an XML file named assistant_interaction_service containing tags related to setting an app as the default digital assistant on Android. It seems that there is still a significant amount of work required to make ChatGPT a viable option as the default assistant on Android phones, so users should not expect this functionality to be available anytime soon.
The ongoing developments strongly indicate that OpenAI is actively working on allowing users to set ChatGPT as their default voice assistant. Once this feature rolls out, users will be able to invoke ChatGPT instead of Google Assistant by performing actions such as long-pressing the power button or swiping up from the bottom corner of the screen. However, it is worth mentioning that triggering the chatbot using a hotword won’t be possible since Google does not provide third-party apps access to this particular API.
ChatGPT, with its voice capabilities, was made available for free to Android and iPhone users in November 2023. This means that users can already utilize the ChatGPT app on their phones to have conversations with the chatbot and seek answers to their queries.
Furthermore, OpenAI is also developing a ChatGPT Quick Settings tile. While this feature is currently inactive, it appears that the tile will allow users to launch ChatGPT’s assistant mode. Reports suggest that a ChatGPT Plus subscription will be required for this feature to work. The Quick Settings tile will serve as a convenient alternative for users who do not wish to replace Google Assistant with ChatGPT but still desire quick access to OpenAI’s chatbot.
It is likely that OpenAI is working on other enhancements for its ChatGPT mobile app as well. However, some of these improvements could potentially be exclusive to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, similar to Google’s plans for a paid version of Bard. The battle between AI chatbots is set to intensify, so users can anticipate significant advancements in the coming months.
