Tuesday 9th January 2018 marked the start of the Consumer Electronics Show which took place in Las Vegas. A diverse group of speakers attended representing global companies such as, Ford, Huawei, YouTube and The Financial Times. Two main standouts were Google and Amazon whom both showcased what they have in store for 2018.
Amazon made announcements with a range of device makers. Alexa is being integrated into a set of expensive augmented reality glasses (over £720) from Vuzix. It will be added to PCs and laptops from Acer, Asus and HP; representing a significant potential challenge to Cortana.
Google announced an array of new device partnerships through the innovation of Google Assistant:
Google At Home
Already The Google Assistant gives you an easy, hands-free way to control your home, whether it’s helping you dim the lights from the comfort of your sofa or play your favourite TV series on Netflix.
With so much excitement around speakers, they announced that Google Assistant is coming to new voice-activated speakers from brands such as Bang & Olufsen, iHome, JBL, Jensen and LG.
However there have been moments when Google Assistant could be even more helpful such as when you need to learn how to bake biscuits and the best way is to watch a video. At CES, Google announced that the Assistant is coming to new smart displays from four companies including JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony.
In 2017, Google brought the Assistant to Android TV devices including Sony and they will continue to roll out to existing Android TVs such as LG U+, TCL, Xiaomi and Hisense. Additionally, Google have worked closely with LG to integrate the Assistant into the new line of LG TVs in the coming months.
Google In Your Car
The Google Assistant will also help you in the car so that you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. As of this week, Google Assistant is coming to Android Auto.
Currently, Android Auto is available in millions of cars and models – you can listen to Spotify, get quick directions from Google Maps, or receive messages from WhatsApp when connecting your Android phone to a supported car. However, Google have now announced that they are working with auto makers to integrate the Assistant directly into the car – no phone required. You will soon be able to reserve a parking space with SpotHero or order your favourite drink from Starbucks – all from the road.
Additionally, with Google Assistant you can remotely check your fuel level, lock doors and much more on cars such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. And last week, Google announced that they will also be rolling it out to cars from Kia, Fiat and Chrysler.
The above have certainly been revelations from both parties. It’s safe to say that Amazon has now taken over from Apple as the virtual assistant leader and Google is and will always be a force to be reckoned with. Here’s to 2018 being the year for voice search – let’s see what these brands have in store for us!
Google Assistant Partners
Your Google Assistant works with over 1,500 smart home devices from more than 200+ popular brands. Here’s a handy list of them all: Google Assistant Partners