Google’s Wi-Fi Assistant is a feature that was previously exclusive to users of its Project Fi cell service. The feature lets a Nexus device automatically connect to countless open and free Wi-Fi hotspots in a bid to reduce cellular data use and provide better mobile data speeds. Google today confirmed that it’s expanding Wi-Fi Assistant to all Nexus smartphones and that the feature is no longer a Project Fi exclusive.
The Wi-Fi Assistant feature is now available to users with any Nexus smartphone, however, the feature is only supported in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, and Nordic countries. The feature will roll out to users in the markets mentioned above in the coming weeks.
Wi-Fi Assistant can be located in the handset’s Settings app, open it up and go to Networking to toggle this feature on and off. If a device is connected to an open and free Wi-Fi hotspot using this feature, users will see a small key in the upper corner of the device. The key icon is similar to Android’s VPN icon.
Users will have the option to disconnect from any particular network, all they need to do is tap on “forget” by long pressing on that network’s name in the Wi-Fi settings panel. Bear in mind that the Nexus smartphone needs to be running Android 5.1 Lollipop and up in order to access Wi-Fi Assistant.
Filed in . Read more about Nexus and Project Fi.