Overview
- The new hotword
- Users of Google’s Intelligent Eyewear running Android XR can now say “Hey Gemini” or tap the frames to summon the assistant for hands-free tasks like live translations, turn-by-turn audio from Maps, and contextual info based on what they look at.
- The glasses add accessibility features tied to the hotword, including Guided Vision for spoken descriptions for blind and low-vision wearers and an Aira integration that streams the camera feed to trained human agents for live visual help.
- Manufacturers can supply their own summon commands on the platform, so the glasses may also respond to alternate hotwords such as “Hey Bixby” on Samsung frames, and Google has not yet clarified how multiple hotwords will operate together.
- The rollout is deliberately hardware-first to tune detection on a largely voice-driven device, and Google has not said if or when “Hey Gemini” will replace “Hey Google” on phones, tablets, or smart speakers.