Google Now "always on" option for Moto X?

[jerethi]

I see that, for certain phones, Google Now has an "always on" option that allows you to activate it even when the screen is off, similar to Moto Voice. This option, however, doesn't seem to be enabled by default for the Moto X (the option doesn't even appear). It would seem a foregone conclusion though that this option could work for the Moto X.

Does anyone know whether this feature can be enabled, or if there are any plans to do so at some point in the future? Doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

Because of Always Listening it can be argued that it is always on. Once you set up the "Ok, Google" phrase, you can use it without waking the device.

 

[jerethi]

Because of Always Listening it can be argued that it is always on. Once you set up the "Ok, Google" phrase, you can use it without waking the device.

Thanks for the response. If your suggestion is to turn off Moto Voice and use Google Now's default voice recognition instead, unfortunately it will not work when the screen is off. That only seems to work when using Moto Voice.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

Sounds strange. I was basing my comment on my experience with the 2013 moto x. With that I only had to train the phone for the key words.

From an AOSP M8

 

[AlfBriggs]

Incorrect. Google now has screen off recognition. So any phone can now.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jerethi]

Let me clarify the issue to avoid any confusion.

While I really like Moto Voice, and 99% of the time it recognizes my voice when I activate it, that lingering 1% of the time when it doesn't work is just enough to be annoying (to someone like me ) Then I learned that Google Now natively supports an always-on listening mode, and I thought I'd give it a try to see how it compared to Moto Voice. I was disappointed to discover that this feature is only available on certain phones - and the Moto X (2014) is apparently not one of them, which seems funny since it obviously can detect voices when the screen is off. This is what prompted my original post.

As I said, I like Moto Voice and think it's pretty useful. But, honestly, the only reason I use Moto Voice instead of the native Google Now voice recognition is because Moto Voice works when my screen is off. 99% of the stuff I tell Moto Voice just gets passed to Google Now, and I'd frankly just prefer to use Google Now's native voice recognition. The only reason I don't is that Google Now voice recognition hasn't worked when the screen is off. If I could activate Google Now when my screen is off--and that option seems to be available to certain phones now--I'd use that over Moto Voice (or at least try it for a few days).

I can certainly use "Okay Google" as the phrase to wake my phone up with Moto Voice, but that's not exactly what I'm trying to do, which is bypass Moto Voice.

Hope that clarifies the issue!

 

[pistos]

I believe the voice recognition part being used on the Moto X is Google's, so I don't believe you would notice any difference in recognition quality if you switched to Google Now Voice. They are the same animal, except for the additional goodies that Motorola has added for us.

 

[nickname303]

Hmmmm. So how long has that been available in Google now? The moto x was touted as the only phone that was always listening and able to do that wasn't it? Now any phone can do it? That's one of the unique features of this phone gone then!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hmmmm. So how long has that been available in Google now? The moto x was touted as the only phone that was always listening and able to do that wasn't it? Now any phone can do it? That's one of the unique features of this phone gone then!

Posted via the Android Central App

Something that does need to be considered is the hardware and software are both configured to accommodate the always listening aspect. There have been some devices that can't handle the always listening part without having an adverse effect on battery life.

From an AOSP M8

 

[Photo_Drew]

The newer snapdragon cores that came out last year I think starting with the 801 could support the always listening

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jerethi]

I believe the voice recognition part being used on the Moto X is Google's, so I don't believe you would notice any difference in recognition quality if you switched to Google Now Voice. They are the same animal, except for the additional goodies that Motorola has added for us.

I think you're right, except that, in my case, it would be faster to go directly to Google Now rather than start in Moto Voice (again, since 99% of my interaction with Moto Voice ends up in Google Now). So there would be a measurable benefit for me to start in Google Now.

Also, this is certainly not scientifically tested, but I sort of feel like Google Now was always better at recognizing when I say "Okay Google" than Moto Voice is at picking up my wake-up call. For example, Moto Voice strongly prefers a wake up phrase with 5 syllables or more, whereas Google Now functions almost flawlessly with a phrase with only 4 syllables.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[benhaube]

On my moto x running lollipop the Google Search always on voice features are present. I just enabled them and trained the launch phrase. To get it to work, however, I needed to disable Motorola's voice feature. I don't think Google's feature is supposed to work with the screen off because it says "from any screen while the screen is on or the phone is charging.".

 

[jerethi]

Google Now does have an "always on" feature that will work when the screen is off. According to Google's support page, it currently only works with with Nexus 6, Nexus 9, and Galaxy Note 4:

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6031948?hl=en

You said that the Always on voice features are present on your Moto X (2014). Just to clarify, you have an option for "Always on" as shown below? If so, that is most curious - I have tinkered and tinkered, and can't seem to figure out how to get this option to even display on my phone.

 

[benhaube]

I see what you are saying. As the screenshot shows mine only says "From any screen". Just out of curiosity I checked my G Pad Google Play Edition and it says " Always on"

 

[jerethi]

Very interesting! That suggests to me that this is something for which Google can fairly easily flip the switch, so maybe we'll see it come to the Moto X at some point. Thanks for the responses!

 

[benhaube]

Very interesting! That suggests to me that this is something for which Google can fairly easily flip the switch, so maybe we'll see it come to the Moto X at some point. Thanks for the responses!

You are welcome. I'm almost positive it is a software thing. The hardware in the Moto X is more than capable. Maybe Google will decide to bless us with this feature, maybe not. Even yet maybe Motorola is blocking this feature in favor of their own. Who knows?

 

[danielcj]

Yea it's lame that it only works on he nexus 6 but not our Moto X.