# Release Notes

## June 28th, 2019

[The Google Assistant Library for Python](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/library/python)
is now deprecated. Use the [Google Assistant Service](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python) instead.

## May 8th, 2018

The Google Assistant SDK now supports additional languages. This includes
hotword models, queries, and responses for the Library.

A new developer preview ([1.0.0](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python)) of the
Google Assistant Library for Python is now available. The Library now supports
playing [news](https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7073476)
and [podcasts](https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7072800).

The [Google Assistant Service](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc) now supports
visual output. You can show the [visual responses](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/next-steps#visual-response)
(cards, suggestion chips, and more) from the Assistant using the output HTML5.

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [additional languages](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/languages). This includes hotword models, queries, and responses. This setting can be selected from the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| feature | Support for [playing news and podcasts](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python#google.assistant.library.event.MediaTrackType). |
| feature | Support for [broadcasting voice messages](https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7531913). |

### Google Assistant Service

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [additional languages](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc/languages). This setting can be passed through the [Service API](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc/google.assistant.embedded.v1alpha2#dialogstatein) or selected from the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| feature | Support for rendering [visual Assistant responses](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/next-steps#visual-response) in addition to audio. |

## March 9th, 2018

The Google Assistant SDK now supports [Custom Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/device-actions-overview#custom). In addition,
new project setup and device registration can now be done in the [Actions Console](https://console.actions.google.com/)
for a simplified developer experience.

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [Custom Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/library/python/extend/custom-actions). |
| feature | Integrated [project setup](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/library/python/embed/config-dev-project-and-account) and [device registration](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/library/python/embed/register-device) with the Actions Console. |

### Google Assistant Service

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [Custom Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/extend/custom-actions). |
| feature | Integrated [project setup](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/config-dev-project-and-account) and [device registration](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/register-device) with the Actions Console. |

## March 1st, 2018

### Google Assistant Service

The Google Assistant Service now supports six additional languages; no software
update is needed.

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for additional languages, including Spanish (Mexico and Spain), Italian, English (India), Korean, and Portuguese (Brazil). This setting can be passed through the Service API or selected from the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| fixed | Added new [`is_new_conversation`](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc/google.assistant.embedded.v1alpha2#google.assistant.embedded.v1alpha2.DialogStateIn.FIELDS.bool.google.assistant.embedded.v1alpha2.DialogStateIn.is_new_conversation) field. Use it to reset a conversation. |

## February 20th, 2018

The developer preview ([0.1.1](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python)) of the
Google Assistant Library for Python is now available. This version brings
remote-casting support to the Google Assistant Library.

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| fixed | Support for remote casting to Cast-enabled devices (for example, *Ok Google, play Spotify on the Kitchen Speaker*. |

## December 20th, 2017

The developer preview ([0.1.0](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python)) of the
Google Assistant Library for Python is now available. The developer preview
([v1alpha2](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc)) of the Google Assistant Service
(previously known as the Google Assistant gRPC API) is now also available. Both
previews bring [Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/device-actions-overview) to the
Google Assistant SDK.

If you are migrating an existing project to the latest version of the SDK, you
will need to register your device with the Google Assistant. This enables the
Assistant to respond to commands appropriate to your device and the given
context. The SDK includes a [registration tool](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/device-registration/device-tool)
to register the device model. The SDK samples automatically registers a device
instance based on this model. For more information, see the registration
documentation for the [Library](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/library/python/embed/register-device)
or [Service](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/register-device).

You can also use the [REST API](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/device-registration/register-device-manual)
to register a device model and instance.

The Service methods and message fields were re-organized in this release. Take a
look at the [differences](https://github.com/googlesamples/assistant-sdk-python/commit/bded2ca790bd0449ab63af1c4859404cd44e554e)
between [v1alpha1](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc/google.assistant.embedded.v1alpha1)
and [v1alpha2](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc) to help you transition your code
over to v1alpha2.

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/device-actions-overview). |
| feature | Support for more languages. This setting can be selected from the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| feature | Location can now be configured as a street address in the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| fixed | Better handling of connection errors. |

### Google Assistant Service

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for [Device Actions](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/device-actions-overview). |
| feature | Support for more languages. This setting can be passed through the Service API or selected from the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings). |
| feature | Location can now be configured as a street address in the Google Assistant [app](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/assistant-app/assistant-settings), or as a latitude and longitude via the API. |
| feature | Support for displaying the text of the user's [request](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/next-steps#text-request) and the text [response](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/next-steps#text-response) from the Google Assistant. |
| feature | Support for submitting queries via [text input](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/guides/service/python/embed/next-steps#text-input). |

## July 19th, 2017

The developer preview (0.0.3) of the Google Assistant library for Python is now
[available](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python).

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Support for x86_64 Linux. |
| feature | Support for Python v2.7. |
| fixed | Various bug fixes and improvements in error messaging. |

### Google Assistant gRPC API

No updates.

## May 17th, 2017

The developer preview (0.0.2) of the Google Assistant library for Python is now
[available](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/library/python). This library complements
the existing [gRPC API](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc) providing a higher level
API surface for easier integration, hotwording capability, and early support for
timers and alarms.

### Google Assistant Library

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | Initial release of the library for Python. |
| feature | *Ok Google* and *Hey Google* hotword support for voice activation. |
| feature | Ability to set alarms and timers. |
| issue | Alarms and timers do not persist across device restarts. |
| issue | The device location is currently not reported properly. This may affect any query that depends on the device location, or the timezone of the device. |
| issue | Account linking for third party services requires owning a Google Home and installing the Google Home application. This affects using services like Uber, or connecting to home automation devices like Hue. |
| issue | Playing music, news, or podcasts is not yet supported. |

### Google Assistant gRPC API

No updates.

## April 27th, 2017

The developer preview (alpha v1) of the Google Assistant API is now
[available](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/reference/rpc). Use this initial release to
put the Google Assistant into your devices. English is the only supported
language for this release (language tag "EN-US").

To install this SDK, see [Getting Started with the Raspberry Pi and Python](https://developers.google.com/assistant/sdk/develop/python).

|   |   |
|---|---|
| feature | An RPC API is available to communicate with the Assistant. |
| feature | Python sample code is available. |
| issue | Alarms and timers are not yet supported. |
| issue | Account linking for third party services requires owning a Google Home and installing the Google Home application. This affects using services like Uber, or connecting to home automation devices like Hue. |
| issue | Playing music, news, or podcasts is not yet supported. |
| issue | Precise device location is not yet available for geolocated queries. Currently, the device location is estimated from the device's IP address. |