Google is working on a smart home speaker with display to rival Amazon Echo Show. A report from Nikkei Asian Review, which quotes industry sources, Google plans to ship three million units for the first batch of its smart speaker with screen. The device is expected to hit the market ahead of the holiday season this year. Google’s speaker with display will likely let users view YouTube videos, maps and check calendar using voice commands. This means, users will not be able browse the Web or install apps as they would on a tablet, but the new speaker will be optimised for sound quality and listening to voice commands.
The new home speaker will be powered by Google Assistant, which is the company’s own voice assistant powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The report adds that the upcoming home speaker will feature a screen by the Google’s Smart Display platform, that has been introduced to partners like Lenovo Group, JBL, LG Electronics and Sony. Smart Display or tablet-like screens on speakers can obey oral commands to perform tasks like playing music, dimming lights, locking doors and setting alarms.
“The new product, which is likely to be similar to the Amazon Echo Show, would round out the Google Home range of smart speakers running the artificially intelligent Google Assistant, akin to Amazon’s Alexa,” the report reads. Google’s current line-up of AI-powered speakers include Google Home, Home Mini and Home Max. Home and Mini models are available in India at Rs 9,999 and Rs 4,499 respectively. The Home Mini rivals Amazon’s Echo Dot in the entry-level smart speaker segment. The high-end Home Max speaker is available in the US and it competes with Apple’s HomePod.
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