Google's new "security update" is dangerous

[Dustinthewind1991]

Many of us use Google Assistant for the convenience of hands free use, especially when using both hands to do something like cooking or driving. It's convenient and easy to just say, "Okay google, text mom" then get a response, "Sure text mom, what's the message?" and all without having to distract yourself with trying to unlock your phone going 80mph down the i25 or chopping onions for dinner. Google has now taken that away from us without even an option. What they didn't realize is, how important this feature was for disabled people or elderly people. What if an elderly person were to fall and their phone is on the other side of the room and they say, "Hey google call 911 on speakerphone" just for google to either ding to acknowledge the request and sit on the lock screen or to just tell them, "You need to unlock your phone first ." This is just stupid and dangerous and all for "security". Maybe stop leaving your phone lying around in public then, just an idea.

 

[mustang7757]

Many of us use Google Assistant for the convenience of hands free use, especially when using both hands to do something like cooking or driving. It's convenient and easy to just say, "Okay google, text mom" then get a response, "Sure text mom, what's the message?" and all without having to distract yourself with trying to unlock your phone going 80mph down the i25 or chopping onions for dinner. Google has now taken that away from us without even an option. What they didn't realize is, how important this feature was for disabled people or elderly people. What if an elderly person were to fall and their phone is on the other side of the room and they say, "Hey google call 911 on speakerphone" just for google to either ding to acknowledge the request and sit on the lock screen or to just tell them, "You need to unlock your phone first ." This is just stupid and dangerous and all for "security". Maybe stop leaving your phone lying around in public then, just an idea.

I understand your point, but they do leave options.
1. If you feel safe leave it without password,pin, fingerprint
2.google smart unlocked for car,home,on body
These are some examples.

 

[Dustinthewind1991]

Even with smart lock enabled, you still must unlock your phone manually before google assistant can do anything. The only thing that kind of works is having absolutely no lock screen at all but it still keeps the screen off and results are super buggy. This is a horrible update and totally pointless for everyone

 

[mustang7757]

Even with smart lock enabled, you still must unlock your phone manually before google assistant can do anything. The only thing that kind of works is having absolutely no lock screen at all but it still keeps the screen off and results are super buggy. This is a horrible update and totally pointless for everyone

I wouldn't say pointless for everyone, but you can definitely give your feedback to Google

 

[Dustinthewind1991]

I've tried, I feel like they are just so big of a company that they don't care what the consumer wants. I'm sure all our feedback goes in the trash. Calling them is useless as well.

 

[dov1978]

Even with smart lock enabled, you still must unlock your phone manually before google assistant can do anything. The only thing that kind of works is having absolutely no lock screen at all but it still keeps the screen off and results are super buggy. This is a horrible update and totally pointless for everyone

This isn't true. I have my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus watch as my Trusted Device for smart lock. I can use Google Assistant completely hands free when they're paired. It was a pain before that however and as you say completely defeats the purpose of Google Assistant

 

[Dustinthewind1991]

Do you have the latest update? My phone installed a software update and after that Google no longer goes passed the lock screen. I've read it is part of their new security update and some devices don't have it yet. In the Google setting where you train your voice model, you used to have the option of "Unlock with voice" but now it just says "lock screen personal results". I have also taken away security so it's just Swipe to unlock and Google still can't get passed the lock screen. It only will give me any results if I take the lock screen away completely but then the screen stays black.

Here's a link to an article about it:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/2019/03/01/ok-google-voice-match-unlock-update/

 

[dov1978]

Do you have the latest update? My phone installed a software update and after that Google no longer goes passed the lock screen. I've read it is part of their new security update and some devices don't have it yet. In the Google setting where you train your voice model, you used to have the option of "Unlock with voice" but now it just says "lock screen personal results". I have also taken away security so it's just Swipe to unlock and Google still can't get passed the lock screen. It only will give me any results if I take the lock screen away completely but then the screen stays black.

Here's a link to an article about it:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/2019/03/01/ok-google-voice-match-unlock-update/

My mistake I've not got the July update because I'm on the Q Beta. I'm still sceptical though. My other phones (Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Mate 10 Pro) changed Google Assistant in this way a few months ago and it ruined Google Assistant as it just gave the "you'll need to unlock your phone for that first" response like you mentioned but using Smart Lock solved it. There was a few threads about it here on AC and LG and other manufacturers owners were all complaining too. I think this is it just hitting Google devices now. I really hope I'm right though because if they've totally locked it down making you physically unlock your phone each time then what is the actual point in Voice Assistant if you can't use it hands free when needed?

 

[Dustinthewind1991]

My mistake I've not got the July update because I'm on the Q Beta. I'm still sceptical though. My other phones (Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Mate 10 Pro) changed Google Assistant in this way a few months ago and it ruined Google Assistant as it just gave the "you'll need to unlock your phone for that first" response like you mentioned but using Smart Lock solved it. There was a few threads about it here on AC and LG and other manufacturers owners were all complaining too. I think this is it just hitting Google devices now. I really hope I'm right though because if they've totally locked it down making you physically unlock your phone each time then what is the actual point in Voice Assistant if you can't use it hands free when needed?

I have smart lock activated as well but you know how buggy the smart lock by location can be. That's another thing android needs to fix because I always have trouble with Smart Lock Trusted Places. It only works if I am connected to my Bluetooth speaker. I wish they would add a Smart Lock Wifi feature, that would be amazing. But yes, even with smart lock enabled and it's actually working with trusted places, Google still doesn't go passed the lock screen. Also, as I mentioned, I even took security away to just unlock the phone by swiping the screen and Google assistant still won't go passed the lock screen. They really messed up with this update. I have the Galaxy Note 9

 

[dov1978]

I've just updated to Android Q beta 5 with July security patch and Google Assistant still works fine with just my voice. It doesn't ask me to unlock before it will do anything and I'm still just using my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus watch as my Trusted Device.