Sony has been promising google assistant integration for their headphones for a while now.
And even though it did take a little longer than expected, its finally here.
Now this new firmware update is only available for a select few products, but eventually
Sony’s whole headphone line up will have google assistant integration.
But for now lets see what google assistant is all about on my personal favorite pair
of headphones, the sony 1000XM2.
Just so we’re clear, this isn’t a full review on the sony 1000XM2, im just addressing
this new firmware update.
If you want to learn more about the Sony 1000XM2 watch their full review.
But if you want to pick up the Sony 1000XM2 I’ll have links in the description below,
and if you use the links the really helps out the channel.
I suggest you check them out cause sony headphones routinely go on sale.
And also check out the new perch shelf down below.
Ok, so the most important thing you need to install this new firmware update on your headphones
is time, this update took like 40 minutes to install.
But after your headphones have been updated, if you scroll down to the bottom of Sony’s
headphones app you’ll see a new option tab.
You can either keep the default settings of the Ambient button or you can remap it as
your google assistant button.
And as a refresher, the 1000XM2’s have a touch pad on the right ear cup that controls
your media playback and those have remained unchanged.
The power button and the ANC/Ambient button are the only two physical buttons on these
headphones.
And in its default setting the Ambient button will cycle through having noise cancellation
turned on where they will obviously block out noise, ambient mode where the headphones
will pump in all of the surrounding sound so its like you’re not even wearing the
headphones, or just off.
But If you choose to remap the Ambient button then you’ll have quick and direct access
to your voice assistant.
If you simply press the ambient button, then the headphone will tell you the time and they’ll
also give you a run down of any notification you might have.
Or if you press and hold the button you can start talking to your assistant immediately
just like on the Bose QC35 series 2.
You don’t have to say a hot word and you don’t have to press and hold and wait like
before.
And personally I really do think having this direct access to your assistant is very useful.
Lets say if you’re a student you can quickly ask the assistant to do basic math or ask
for a unit conversion while you’re working on your chemistry or physics homework.
Or if you work in an office you can quickly calculate how much of a commission you should
expect from you last sale by asking how much is 12 percent of $5,000.
Or besides that, the headphones will read out notifications to you as they come in,
and if you want to you can directly respond to
them using the assistant.
Even though having the google assistant on your headphones can be very useful just, remember
that if you want to cycle through your noise cancellation settings you’ll now have to
do so manually through the headphones app.
And personally I would really like to see google assistant have more control over the
headphones themselves, cause right now if you ask google to turn on noise cancelation
or ambient mode, things don’t work out as expected.
And then theres this little problem, sometimes if you press the button to talk to your assistant
this happens and the only way to fix it is to close the Google assistant app on your
phone.
It doesn’t happen all the time but it is a pain in the butt.
This is probably a problem on Sony’s end so hopefully they’ll fix it soon.
But in general, Google assistant should work better and more seamlessly if you’re using
it on an android device.
Cause right now on an iPhone you do have to open up the Assistant app every time you turn
on the headphones and have it running in the back ground for google assistant to work.
But that’s a small price to pay so you don’t have to deal with Siri.
But overall this new feature isn’t a game changer, its just new option for the Sony
1000XM2.
Google Assistant is going to be more useful for Some people than others.
But it definitely breathes some new life into these headphones as they approach their 1
year mark since they were released at IFA last year.
Now since IFA 2018 is a few weeks away I would personally be shocked if sony announced their
WH-1000XM3.
I think its more likely we’ll see an updated version of their XB950N1 Extra bass headphones.
But if sony does announce their 1000XM3, google assistant integration is nice, but more importantly
I would like to see better padding and synthetic leather, more spacious ear cups similar to
the Bose QC35’s with a more low profile design and better fast charging.