Frist - as a rule, I do not accuse technology of secretly listening to me. I have always written off anyone who says, "Google is listening to my conversations!" as someone who probably typed it in a search, sent an email about it, etc.
However, after years of owning Android phones and Google Homes, I was put into a situation today where I am seriously questioning how Google knew what I wanted to search for on my phone. I mean highly specific, perfectly timed, and offered as a first choice after entering only four letters of a 3 word/number phrase.
My Pixel 3 was on the table during a conversation where this highly specific topic was being repeatedly discussed and I picked up my phone to execute the search in the midst of it.
I am 100% positive I have never entered or spoken this information into a previous search or in any email sent or received. It is so specific!
I can come up with a complex link to an email my husband sent to obtain a quote that was not sent to me, but even if I accepted that slightly frightening fascinating connection, it still doesn't explain why the search suggestion appeared as the first one. Is it some crazy connection between his email, my location at the store and.... errr....it made a lucky guess about what aspect of the product we were talking about? And how does Google decide what info from my husband's email is approrpriate to use?
So, humor me when I ask this...
Is there any configuration where the Pixel 3 would be listening while at rest on a table other than the setting to listen for OK Google (which I have off)? You know... like "for my benefit" to give me such a great experience.
I'll probably just write this off but I am wondering what all of you have to say.
This was the search: flexsteel fabric 912-01