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A Google Assistant shortcut is disappearing from the Pixel Launcher

Google's purge of Google Assistant is starting. The button is still there, but its function is different.

The microphone icon, which is found in the search bar on the Pixel Launcher home screen, has now been re-mapped. The purge of features is now beginning, and Pixel Launcher users will notice that the microphone icon in the search bar no longer triggers Assistant (via 9to5Google). A potential concern is that many users have muscle memory from using Assistant through Pixel Launcher for years, which may cause some frustration as they adjust.

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