A few weeks ago, Google made a promise to all users of non-Project Fi Nexus phones that the data-saving feature, Wi-Fi Assistant, will be coming to their devices in the near future. Well, this “near future” is finally here and it is happening, just like the company promised.
In short, you can now be able to connect to verified and secure Wi-Fi hotspots anywhere and in the process save on your mobile data. The Fi wireless service is not new, but only those devices using Project Fi, among them Google Nexus 6P, were able to take advantage of the data-saving Wi-Fi Assistant feature.
In case you didn’t know, Wi-Fi Assistant is a feature that enables your phone to connect to a trusted and stable Wi-Fi network that is also open and close to your current location. If you happen to visit areas where data connection or cell signal is weak, you can really benefit from this Wi-Fi Assistant. As noted earlier, it gets even better for those trying to save their cellular data by using free Wi-Fi hotspots.
While in the past taking advantage of this feature required one to have a Fi SIM card – a card that was only compatible with the likes of Nexus 6P, Nexus 6 and Nexus 5X – Google has made a huge step forward by availing this feature to basically all Nexus phones in the U.S., Canada, the UK as well as Mexico, among other regions.
If you own a Google Nexus phone, you can get this Wi-Fi Assistant feature with the latest version of Google Play Services and get the Google Connectivity Services installed from the Play Store. Before thinking of getting these latest software packages, you should know that this data-saving feature will only work with Google Nexus phones that are using Android 5.1 Lollipop and higher. Just head to the Settings>Google>Networks and there you will see an option for automatically opening Wi-Fi.
In case this option is missing, there is nothing to worry about since the update will be hitting different devices and regions at about different times. But it won’t be long before you are able to use the Wi-Fi Assistant feature on your phone.
Some of you may be concerned about the risks involved with connecting to a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Well, according to Google, the Wi-Fi Assistant feature ensures that data transmission happens via a secure VPN that the Mountain View Company manages so as to keep your information safe and secure. To confirm that Google’s VPN is working, you should see a small key icon on your device. You also have the liberty to turn off the Wi-Fi Assistant feature, if you feel it’s still not secure.
Have you started using the Wi-Fi Assistant feature on your Google Nexus phone? Let us know in the comments.