Reading texts out loud (while driving, for example)

[HeavyBombers]

Google Assistant stopped reading messages while driving - it used to do this...

Glad to know I didn't imagine that ability.

 

[matty032]

Android Auto will read aloud your message.

 

[Ry]

Android Auto will read aloud your text messages, but unless it's changed, your have to press a button. And it provides no way to respond.

Thanks for the clarification. Looks like Motorola is still superior right now in terms of hands-free SMS. I hope Android Auto catches up.

 

[benhaube]

Google Assistant definitely can't read you text messages. I'm sure it will eventually be able to, but no one knows when. As to an equivalent feature I'm not sure. There's probably an app on the Play Store with this functionality. I would be surprised if there isn't.

 

[Richard Servello]

Android Auto will read aloud your text messages, but unless it's changed, your have to press a button. And it provides no way to respond.

"OK google, reply"

 

[benhaube]

Thanks for the clarification. Looks like Motorola is still superior right now in terms of hands-free SMS. I hope Android Auto catches up.

Android Auto did just add an ability to say "Okay Google". I imagine that would make it so you no longer need to hit a button to reply.

 

[11B1P]

OP is looking for functionality where the phone detects that you are driving, and when you get a message, it will alert you that there is message, ask you if you want to have the message read to you. All voice. No buttons to press.

It's not so much that the phone detects that you are driving, but when the phone is connected to a BT headset/speaker/car. Cortana has this functionality. When I was using a windows phone in my car and I got a text, she would tell me I had received a text from so-and-so, and ask me if I wanted to "read it" or "ignore it". If you "replied", she would say back what she thought you said, and if correct, she would ask you to "send it', "add more" or "try again". Never had to touch the phone.

I don't understand how Google can't implement this feature.

 

[Ry]

It's not so much that the phone detects that you are driving, but when the phone is connected to a BT headset/speaker/car. Cortana has this functionality. When I was using a windows phone in my car and I got a text, she would tell me I had received a text from so-and-so, and ask me if I wanted to "read it" or "ignore it". If you "replied", she would say back what she thought you said, and if correct, she would ask you to "send it', "add more" or "try again". Never had to touch the phone.

I don't understand how Google can't implement this feature.

With Motorola, it doesn't need to detect that you're connect to a specific Bluetooth device to know you're driving.

Looks the same as Cortana.

Start driving.

Recurve a text message.

Phone says you have a new message from so and so.

Phone asks if you want the message read to you.

If you reply yes, the message is read out loud.

When the message is done, phone asks you if you want to reply.

If you say yes, it asks for your reply.

It'll confirm the message and ask if it's correct.

If no, try again.

If yes, message sent.

All without pressing any buttons.

 

[11B1P]

With Motorola, it doesn't need to detect that you're connect to a specific Bluetooth device to know you're driving.

Looks the same as Cortana.

Start driving.

Recurve a text message.

Phone says you have a new message from so and so.

Phone asks if you want the message read to you.

If you reply yes, the message is read out loud.

When the message is done, phone asks you if you want to reply.

If you say yes, it asks for your reply.

It'll confirm the message and ask if it's correct.

If no, try again.

If yes, message sent.

All without pressing any buttons.

So this is specific to certain handset manufacturers? Because my GS7 doesn't have this feature. Whereas, all W10 phones have the feature.

 

[fragologist]

I have the note 4 but will be getting the pixel xl soon. I just say OK Google then ask "read last text from x" and it does it just fine. I can even respond using OK Google

 

[Richard Servello]

With Motorola, it doesn't need to detect that you're connect to a specific Bluetooth device to know you're driving.

Looks the same as Cortana.

Start driving.

Recurve a text message.

Phone says you have a new message from so and so.

Phone asks if you want the message read to you.

If you reply yes, the message is read out loud.

When the message is done, phone asks you if you want to reply.

If you say yes, it asks for your reply.

It'll confirm the message and ask if it's correct.

If no, try again.

If yes, message sent.

All without pressing any buttons.

Cortana was based on being connected to a car.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

I now have a Pixel, and while I haven't tried messing with voice text solutions yet, I'm honestly surprised that Google has not been able to implement something as seamless as Moto's voice system. It really is as simple as Ry described. This is doubly confusing as I thought this feature was developed while Motorola was under Google's umbrella, but maybe its genesis predates Google's acquisition of Moto.

I'll mess with Android Auto. My car doesn't support it natively, but now that the app can work stand-alone, maybe it will be how Google implements this feature in the future.

 

[Ry]

I now have a Pixel, and while I haven't tried messing with voice text solutions yet, I'm honestly surprised that Google has not been able to implement something as seamless as Moto's voice system. It really is as simple as Ry described. This is doubly confusing as I thought this feature was developed while Motorola was under Google's umbrella, but maybe its genesis predates Google's acquisition of Moto.

I'll mess with Android Auto. My car doesn't support it natively, but now that the app can work stand-alone, maybe it will be how Google implements this feature in the future.

I have no doubt that Android Auto will get there.

 

[matty032]

"OK google, reply"

I stand corrected. Will Ok Google play Allo messages? I can't get it to, maybe I am not phrasing it correctly?

 

[hal1]

With Motorola, it doesn't need to detect that you're connect to a specific Bluetooth device to know you're driving.

Looks the same as Cortana.

Start driving.

Recurve a text message.

Phone says you have a new message from so and so.

Phone asks if you want the message read to you.

If you reply yes, the message is read out loud.

When the message is done, phone asks you if you want to reply.

If you say yes, it asks for your reply.

It'll confirm the message and ask if it's correct.

If no, try again.

If yes, message sent.

All without pressing any buttons.

The app I mentioned in my first post works exactly like this. It's just that you have to manually turned on each time, or leave it on all the time

 

[Richard Servello]

Works with Facebook messenger...So it's not just txt. Not sure about allo tho.

 

[TurboCommander]

So once again, I was driving with my Pixel connected to a Bluetooth headset, received text messages and had both texts read to me and was told that my phone can't do that! Here's how it went down...

Long pressing the button on the side of the bluetooth headset and speaking something like "do I have any recent text messages?" Resulted in yes, one from John Smith, would you like to hear it (or something like that) and the message was read to me. I don't think I was offered to reply but sending a text by simply saying text John Smith or whatever is trivial and has always worked fine.

Now here's the interesting thing. I don't like pressing and especially long pressing the button on my Bluetooth headset, it hurts my ear so I grabbed the handset and spoke "OK Google" without pressing the button on my Bluetooth headset and asked the same question about if I had any recent text messages and was told I can't to that yet.

So it seems HOW the question is asked, purely by voice or via a Bluetooth button press determines which G service on Pixel answers and one can and one cannot read SMS.

 

[gone down south]

Maybe it was your headset and not Google handling that?

 

[TurboCommander]

Maybe it was your headset and not Google handling that?

Activation through the headset yes but it is just activating the phone via holding the side button. On iPhone it activates Siri, on Droid Turbo it activated my choice either Motorola or Google. In Pixel I'm pretty much stock. It activates something with a Google voice but evidently NOT Assistant. The screen doesn't turn on so I'm not sure what "app" it is. Same Google voice as Assistant but different function. Headset is Plantronics Voyager Edge.

 

[jkmasi]

I just convinced my husband to give up his Droid Maxx so that he would have wifi calling (we have a house where VZW barely has service) and I just assumed that Google Assistant would have the ability to read and respond to texts hands free. As Ry reports, his Motorola would detect that he was driving and announce text messages. He could ask it to read, and then he could respond. It was by far his favorite feature on the phone. This did not involve bluetooth, which is important, since his truck does not have bluetooth. I understand that the phone probably won't detect the fact that he is driving, but if if could at least read and respond to messages without him having to touch the phone, that might satisfy him. Otherwise, we may be back to the drawing board.

He is not someone who is willing to tinker with his phone at all. I need to solve this, if I want him to "like" his new phone. Will Google Assistant read texts if asked or not? There seems to be some conflicting advice here.