Google Assistant now supports third-party apps shortcuts

Google Assistant is now smarter and more useful than ever. Google revealed that its personal digital assistant now supports shortcuts for third-party apps. Basically, Android users will be able to use Assistant voice commands within some of the most popular apps not made by Google.

For example, if you’re looking for something specific within an app, you can say, “Hey Google, open Taylor Swift on Snapchat.” But that’s not all! The new functionality allows Android users to play music, start a run, post on social media, order food, make payments, hail a ride, and much more – all with just their voice.

To make things even more convenient, Google Assistant now lets users create custom shortcut phrases for their favorite apps. For example, you could create a shortcut to just say, “Hey Google, lace it,” instead of saying the longer version, “Hey Google, tighten my shoes with Nike Adapt.” To start making shortcuts simply say, “Hey Google, show my shortcuts,” and you’ll be taken to the setting screen.

There are dozens of third-party apps that now support shortcuts, including Yahoo! Mail, Nike Adapt, Nike Run Club, Spotify, Best Buy, Instagram, Google Maps, YouTube, Instagram, Uber, PayPal, Discord, Walmart, Snapchat, and many more.