Google has launched a revamped artificially intelligent personal assistant that aims to be the Google people need wherever they are, be it on their smartphone or in the home through a new voice-enabled speaker. In fact, the device will only work with 13 services initially, many of which are Google-owned.
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Above: Google officially announces the change in the Cast app on iOS. The Home comes with three outward-facing speakers that supposedly blast sound in every direction.
New devices could help Google keep its services front-and-center in the battle for consumers’ attention, Forrester Research analyst Julie Ask said.
“The key priority for Google at this state with smartphones is to be able to compete better with Apple”, de Renesse said. Google may be late to the party, but Home packs some killer features that make it a compelling product for the holiday season and for your everyday use. Multi-room grouping is available too – any combination of Google Home, Chromecast Audio or Speakers with Google Cast support can be synced to play music throughout the home.
The announcement was the introduction of Pixel, the first Google phone inside and out.
Assistant’s functionality is a key selling point of the Pixel, and it’s Home’s only selling point.
“For Amazon, Alexa provides customers with an easy-to-use interface to order the digital and physical products the company offers today as well as those, like flights, that they might offer in the future”, Strategy states.
“If the president can get a daily briefing, why shouldn’t you?” said Rishi Chandra, a senior product manager at Google. It also means that updates and kinks can be worked out of Assistant much faster than if developers needed to go through third parties like they do with Android.
“We designed Google Home to look good”.
Amazon has the first mover’s advantage in the home automation space and, by actively focusing on Echo’s capabilities, the company has ensured that it is integrated with several smart home devices that can be controlled through its personal assistant.
Managing day to day tasks at home will also be aided, with Google Home supporting alarm schedules, timers, shopping list creation and management as well as weather reporting, local guide information, calendars, traffic reporting and more.
Google Assistant on the Google Pixel phone. Google Home is then able to understand your command, connect to your Chromecast, and then start playing Stranger Things on your TV via Netflix. Assistant is created to let users carry on what the company has described as a two-way dialogue with Google using conversational speech.
Home is catch-up to the Echo, but also one step ahead. But in the home there is a clearer use case. No official confirmation yet from the tech giant but some mobile users have been sharing the news after seeing the old Google Cast app has become the new “Google Home”. In your home, your vehicle, wherever. If you use the Google-owned Nest thermostat, you can tell Home to turn up the heat when you get cold.
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Google Home costs $129 in the United States and will come with a six-month YouTube Red free-trial.
