DHAKA: Google has placed a virtual assistant at the heart of its latest smartphones and first voice-activated speaker.

The two Pixel handsets are the first mobiles to trigger Google Assistant by pressing their home buttons, somewhat like Apple’s Siri, reports the BBC.

The Home speaker lets the same artificial intelligence tool be controlled without use of a touchscreen. It rivals Amazon’s Echo, reports the BBC.

Google also unveiled new virtual reality kit and a 4K media streamer.

However, the US company will have to overcome privacy concerns and convince users that chatting to a virtual assistant has advantages over using individual apps.

Google already offers the Assistant as part of its chat app Allo - but the software has been installed on only a small minority of phones that support it as yet.

BDST: 0834 HRS, OCT 05, 2016
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