Google Assistant can now read articles and other text directly from a website on any device running the Android operating system.
Google debuted the new Read It feature for its voice assistant on Wednesday, including the ability to translate the text between 42 different languages.
Google first revealed plans for the new feature at CES this year as one of several planned elements for Google Assistant. When a webpage is open on an Android device, a user can get Google Assistant to read the text by saying “Hey Google, read it.” The voice assistant is able to identify the main text of a website from the menu, the metadata, and other words on the page. The text will auto-scroll and the word being read will be highlighted as the text continues. There are multiple voices users can choose as their reading voice and they can adjust where the reading begins and the speed it is read. The reading option is automatic for websites, although webmasters can disable it if they choose. The feature isn’t innate to Android mobile apps, but developers can incorporate it into their app with Actions on Google.