Back in May during its I/O 2017, Google announced you’ll soon be able to make calls using the Google Home speaker.
Well, the functionality is rolling out as we speak, but for the time being, only users in US and Canada will be able to take advantage of it.
Now you can simply say “Ok Google, call Lori” and the device will swiftly get your friend on the line. Users can call any landline or mobile in US and Canada for free. It works over Wi-Fi, so don’t worry about it draining your plan minutes.
But the new feature has some limitations. For starters, you can’t call another Google Home from yours or answer incoming calls. You can only ask the device to make calls.
Secondly, unless you’re a Google Voice or Project Fi subscriber, people you’ll be calling won’t be able to see your number when you call. Instead, they’ll see “Unknown” or “No Caller ID” so there’s a big chance they’ll ignore your call.
But Google Voice and Project Fi users can avoid all that by simply connecting their account to a Home speaker. Google says it’s working on a solution for everyone else which will become available by the end of the year.
The roll-out of this new features comes mere days after the Google Home Preview Program, which lets Google Home users try new features before everyone else – opened its gates to the public.
