Google has been long-rumored to come out with new a voice-enabled digital assistant, and as we draw closer to its event, the Google I/O, these reports gained credibility. Analysts claim that this new assistant may be called Google Home, and will unseat Amazon Alexa, which powers the e-retail giant’s speaker, Echo.
There is no confirmation if this will be a speaker too, but the chances of it being an audio peripheral are high, given that it is currently referred as a “voice-activated home device,” reported The Verge. According to the publication, it will be unveiled at the event today, but it may not hit the shelves until fall.
Smart home devices have been around for some time. What makes them smarter is the integration of voice-enabled digital assistants. Launch of Echo, with Alexa packed in, allows Amazon to lead the show. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) explained how Amazon wants to take control of our smart home. However, it seems like Google wants to enter and take over with a similar service of its own.
Amazon Echo’s capabilities are clearly commendable, and they are dependent upon the voice-enabled assistant, Alexa, which is a marvel of artificial intelligence (AI). Industry analysts believe that Google’s focus will be on the development of a “virtual agent” rather than a device. This is because the search giant would want to make this AI assistant available on various devices.
Unveiling at the I/O event will possibly give the developers enough time to make third-party services work with the digital assistant. We believe that with the strong database, along with a new voice enabled assistant, the device will be way smarter than its rivals in the market.
This not the first time Google has planned a product to automate our homes. The company has a smart Wi-Fi router, OnHub, which is as good as any other smart device. The most recent update for OnHub brings IFTTT, which has made the product even more useful, but it still lacks voice-recognition support.
With Google Home, the search giant wants to fill the voice-recognition gap on OnHub, making user life a little easier. The giant is working in every tech field at the moment—from cloud-computing to driverless cars. It is safe to state that Google wants to build a complete ecosystem for its users, which makes every aspect of their lives easier and productive.
If Google did not make its move, this time, it will fall behind. Reportedly, major players in the tech industry, such as Apple and Facebook, are working on similar smart home devices.
