Google Assistant has been winding down or consolidating features, especially voice experiences, over the past year, and the latest victim is the whimsical “animal of the day” command.
Starting today (November 27), the beloved “animal of the day” Google Assistant command “will no longer be available.” This simple feature provides several facts and plays a short clip of the creature, while a picture is shown on Smart Displays and phones.
The last animal/insect of the day is the cricket. In recent weeks, Google telegraphed this removal to those who triggered the command, but you will still be able to ask Assistant questions about animals (“Where does a fox live?”).
Some people, including parents who have made a routine of asking Google Assistant for the day’s animal, are dismayed by the removal of this feature, which is several years old. I don’t particularly blame them, as this seems like an awfully small thing for Google to not maintain, given the amount of joy it offers. (I’m somewhat curious if this has anything to do with the Actions on Google deprecation earlier this year.) While not quite an easter egg, it did provide Assistant with a sense of whimsy that’s certainly not as prevalent as it once was.
Again, this removal is far from consequential in the long run, but it’s always frustrating to have ingrained routines change.
More on Google Assistant:
- Assistant Quick Phrases also work on Pixel Buds Pro
- Google Assistant on Pixels can now ask if an incoming call is urgent
- Assistant’s Wear OS tile is now available with customizable shortcuts [Gallery]
- Google brings Action Blocks customization to all Assistant Routines
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