@eightbitjoker from their landing page for the product, it looks to have the same functionality, long press the action button to start up Google Assistant...Agreed, not quite sure how this differs from the rest of the market at all. Seems like all they did was add the shortcut mapping to their qc35's ahahaha. It seems, on the surface at least, like the kind of thing they could have pushed out with an OTA update and called it a day (correct me if I'm wrong). From what i can tell, the only 'new' part of this is the separate button, and an ability to toggle noise cancellation with a button press instead of delving into the Connect app, because IIRC this long press to trigger a voice assistant already existed lol

@eightbitjoker @alexlee voice assistant and Google Assistant actually aren't the same product... Google once again being terribly confusing with its branding!! Google Now is Google's voice-activated personal assistant -- similar to Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana. Unlike Siri and Cortana, Google Now isn't platform-specific; the app works on both Android and iOS devices, though its hardware-controlling capabilities are limited on iOS. The app lets you quickly search the web and perform a variety of tasks -- such as scheduling events and alarms, adjusting your device's volume and posting to social media -- using natural-sounding voice commands. Google Now is convenient for when you want to use the power of the Internet and your mobile device without actually picking it up -- like Siri and Cortana, Google Now offers hands-free accessibility from the lock screen with the command, "OK, Google." But while Google Now can look up everything you need to know on Google, and access information in your personal Google accounts, it doesn't really get to know you, and that's where Google Assistant comes in. Google Assistant is basically the next generation of Google Now -- it does most of the same things, plus more, and it has a friendlier, more conversational interface. The preview edition of Google Assistant debuted in the Google Allo chat app and Google Assistant will also be found in the Google Home and integrated into the Google Pixel phone. Google Assistant performs all the same tasks as Google Now: web searching, scheduling events and alarms, adjusting the hardware settings on your device and pulling up information from your Google accounts. While Google Now is, in many ways, a souped-up, voice-activated Google Search, Google Assistant offers up information in a more conversational and (Google hopes) more accessible format. For example, Google Assistant turns search results into one-sentence answers, and, for a question like "What are some nearby restaurants?" presents information in an easy-to-tap card format instead of a linear Google search page. Sorry for the wall of text.. Quotes above and more information sourced from https://www.cnet.com/how-to/the-... The TL;DR is that Google Assistant is poised to replace Google Now, but will be less platform flexible... built into hardware like the Bose QC 35 II, and other devices... but not as cross platform - basically a reason to buy into the Google infrastructure vs using their services on non Google hardware like iOS and Windows

@eightbitjoker @shoshinzen thanks for the response, Jon. I wasn't aware Google Now was still kicking around in the newer versions of Android, I thought any peripherals would have swapped over to the new Assistant. Cheers!

@eightbitjoker @alexlee I believe it will also replace the button all together with the voice prompt, which will be awesome when it's raining or snowing, and having the device buried in a jacket ... just saying "Hey Google/OK Google" and asking for various information...

@eightbitjoker I have the original QC 35s that I purchased about a month ago. I just pressed and held the play/pause button and a fully functional Siri came up. It seems weird for Bose to be pushing Google Assistant when both Google Assistant and Siri worked with the older product. This feels like Google paid Bose to block Siri. Am I missing something?

@chrismessina Amazon Glasses, GE lamp, maybe that smartdesk?

@stoweboyd also hotels, cars, street corners, appliances...!

@sabrisjourney I'm wondering the same

@shoshinzen Thank you, Jon. That's definitely a bummer considering the latest Apple and Android devices all have support for V5.0.

@atmasphere not sure if you're on Apple or Android, but wondering if there's any way to long press the GA button to trigger Siri?