I/O 2016: Google's new Home hardware takes on Apple's HomeKit and Siri

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited May 2016
The smart home battle between Apple, Google and others continues to heat up, with Google on Wednesday announcing Home, a new voice-activated hardware kit that brings the Google assistant service to any room in your house.




Like Amazon Echo, Google Home is an always-listening piece of hardware that allows users to issue commands using natural language. The hardware will launch later this year, though Google has yet to announce a price.

Demonstrated by Google at its annual I/O conference, Home allows users to control connected devices in their home, get answers from Google, stream music, and more.




The hardware itself is a small speaker, with swappable exterior shells that can be chosen to match a home's decor. And because it's always plugged in, Google Home is capable of pumping out room-filling sound for music and voice feedback.

Home is also designed with multi-room support, allowing users to own multiple hardware units and place them throughout their house. And it'll play nice with Chromecast, allowing users to rely on just their voice to queue up content on an HDTV.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 55
    loekfloekf Posts: 41member
    No competition for HomeKit, because HomeKit is a joke. It's a missed opportunity for Apple. They could have made the AppleTV the central hub, but looks like they insist on buillding it around your phone (or iPad).

    I have an Amazon Echo here, loving it.
    calijackansielijahglord amhrancommand_fSpamSandwich
  • Reply 2 of 55
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    loekf said:
    No competition for HomeKit, because HomeKit is a joke. It's a missed opportunity for Apple. They could have made the AppleTV the central hub, but looks like they insist on buillding it around your phone (or iPad).

    I have an Amazon Echo here, loving it.
    Yeah Apple is really dragging their feet here.
    I do think iPhone is a better hub since it's always with you and not in another room, but how much progress has HomeKit really accomplished? Apple TV was certainly lacking a ton of features and opportunities. 

    And where's the Home app?
    HealthKit/Health
    HomeKit/Home.
    i figured we would get Home at least by iOS 9.
    edited May 2016 jackansicommand_fpatchythepirate
  • Reply 3 of 55
    onlyhopeonlyhope Posts: 39member
    Let's see, Google can read your email, track every click you make while you're online and has exposed (via Android OS) your private data to just about any hacker in the world. Now they will have the opportunity to know where you live, when you are home and what you are doing while you are home (they're listening) - including what room of the house your are in.

    Isn't that handy...
    caliGrimzahnelijahgjony0irelandmagman1979tdknoxfotoformatpotatoleeksoupanton zuykov
  • Reply 4 of 55
    antonpabloantonpablo Posts: 90member
    Apple should come out with a Siri/HomeKit device like the Echo and Google's.. Or add this capability to the next gen AppleTV..
    jony0
  • Reply 5 of 55
    techprod1gytechprod1gy Posts: 838member
    I really feel like Apple has simply dropped the ball. The good news for them is they already have the "ECO SYSTEM" so will be able to see what the competition does, learn from it and then put their spin on it like they have done in the past. This type of technology isn't quite there yet for prime time but will be soon.
    jackansi
  • Reply 6 of 55
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    cali said:
    loekf said:
    No competition for HomeKit, because HomeKit is a joke. It's a missed opportunity for Apple. They could have made the AppleTV the central hub, but looks like they insist on buillding it around your phone (or iPad).

    I have an Amazon Echo here, loving it.
    Yeah Apple is really dragging their feet here.
    I do think iPhone is a better hub since it's always with you and not in another room, but how much progress has HomeKit really accomplished? Apple TV was certainly lacking a ton of features and opportunities. 

    And where's the Home app?
    HealthKit/Health
    HomeKit/Home.
    i figured we would get Home at least by iOS 9.
    Apparently an app is being announced at WWDC but I'm sure people will complain if it's a native app that can't be deleted.
    jackansiirelandmagman1979tdknoxJanNLRayz2016
  • Reply 7 of 55
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    loekf said:
    No competition for HomeKit, because HomeKit is a joke. It's a missed opportunity for Apple. 
    antonpablo said:
    Apple should come out with a Siri/HomeKit device like the Echo and Google's.. Or add this capability to the next gen AppleTV..
    techprod1gy said:
    I really feel like Apple has simply dropped the ball. 

    And who do you think to blame?
    Tim should be out.
    jackansi
  • Reply 8 of 55
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Maybe this is relatively low priority for Apple . I don't know how big home automation is projected to become. As long as the fact that the other home systems don't cause sales of Apple devices to drop maybe Apple doesn't have to worry for the time being. Perhaps project Titan completely overshadows HomeKit, and its potential. 
  • Reply 9 of 55
    NY1822NY1822 Posts: 621member
    Since November 2014 Amazon has sold 3 million Echo devices with an agnostic customer (not dependent on Apple vs Samsung)....I still think it's too early for home automation for the masses....most people have no problem turning their lights on with a switch and using their phone to order pizza....Amazon sells 3 million devices in 1.5 years and it's a smash hit...Apple gets 13 million paying customers to Apple Music in 6 months and it's a Fail...sells 12 million watches and it's a Fail...
    A few months ago they had a home automation guy on CNBC and he said we are still 5 years away from it becoming mainstream and for the technology to advance. I'm sure Apple knows the addressable market.
    edited May 2016 jony0coolfactortdknox
  • Reply 10 of 55
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    I've been watching The Google I/O keynote.

    Trying my best to be objective, here. but I haven't seen anything compelling or show-stopping.

    The Home, Allo, Duo and wearable offerings were nice but not really new and not available until the fall.

    The thing that really is off-putting is that most of these things require the latest Google/Android software and, historically, very few available Google/Android devices are running the latest software. 

    roundaboutnowjony0magman1979anton zuykovpatchythepirate
  • Reply 11 of 55
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,031member
    Home automation is very complex to do with any sophistication - Apple will not get in the business of controlling your lights, appliances, and entertainment equipment except for perhaps very limited and focused ways. They will leave the bulk of it to integrators, and Google and Amazon will have to do the same. Even Nest is turning into a headache for Google I bet, because of all the failures and various systems the thermostat must connect to, and the need for an electrician/HVAC guy if you're not handy or run into problems. Long term, Apple needs manufacturers to build Homekit protocol support into their devices (light switches, outlets, bulbs, AV equipment, appliances, etc) which will take years, if ever. It is a very slow burn project in my estimation.
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 12 of 55
    buckalecbuckalec Posts: 203member
    I'm sure the NSA are thrilled!
    magman1979irelandanton zuykovavidthinker
  • Reply 13 of 55
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,031member
    Home automation is very complex to do with any sophistication - Apple will not get in the business of controlling your lights, appliances, and entertainment equipment except for perhaps very limited and focused ways. They will leave the bulk of it to integrators, and Google and Amazon will have to do the same. Even Nest is turning into a headache for them, because of all the failures and various systems the thermostat must connect to, and the need for an electrician/HVAC guy if you're not handy or run into problems. Long term, Apple needs manufacturers to build Homekit protocol support into their devices (light switches, outlets, bulbs, AV equipment, appliances, etc) which will take years, if ever. It is a very slow burn project in my estimation.
    bobschlob
  • Reply 14 of 55
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    dick applebaum said:

    I've been watching The Google I/O keynote.

    Trying my best to be objective, here. but I haven't seen anything compelling or show-stopping.

    The Home, Allo, Duo and wearable offerings were nice but not really new and not available until the fall.

    The thing that really is off-putting is that most of these things require the latest Google/Android software and, historically, very few available Google/Android devices are running the latest software. 

    There didn't seem to be much excitement around Android Wear. Definitely a meh portion of the presentation. Apple has a real shot to completely own this space.
    patchythepirate
  • Reply 15 of 55
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,327member
    NY1822 said:
    Since November 2014 Amazon has sold 3 million Echo devices with an agnostic customer (not dependent on Apple vs Samsung)....I still think it's too early for home automation for the masses....most people have no problem turning their lights on with a switch and using their phone to order pizza....Amazon sells 3 million devices in 1.5 years and it's a smash hit...Apple gets 13 million paying customers to Apple Music in 6 months and it's a Fail...sells 12 million watches and it's a Fail...
    A few months ago they had a home automation guy on CNBC and he said we are still 5 years away from it becoming mainstream and for the technology to advance. I'm sure Apple knows the addressable market.

    Yes, this is a good point. We techies are likely the vocal minority, thinking that the mass market is ready for such tech. It's probably slightly premature.
  • Reply 16 of 55
    SnRaSnRa Posts: 65member
    rogifan_new said:
    dick applebaum said:

    I've been watching The Google I/O keynote.

    Trying my best to be objective, here. but I haven't seen anything compelling or show-stopping.

    The Home, Allo, Duo and wearable offerings were nice but not really new and not available until the fall.

    The thing that really is off-putting is that most of these things require the latest Google/Android software and, historically, very few available Google/Android devices are running the latest software. 

    There didn't seem to be much excitement around Android Wear. Definitely a meh portion of the presentation. Apple has a real shot to completely own this space.
    The integration of Vulkan into Android N was good to see. Finally mainstream mobile is reaching a level of parity with desktop API's. If only Apple would get on-board, Metal's hype is dead at this point.



  • Reply 17 of 55
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,301member
    You should see the "frothing foam at the mouth" of the trolls over at MacRumors, they are all over this bashing Apple in every way they can, what a bunch of losers.
    patchythepiratenolamacguy
  • Reply 18 of 55
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,608member

    I've been watching The Google I/O keynote.

    Trying my best to be objective, here. but I haven't seen anything compelling or show-stopping.

    The Home, Allo, Duo and wearable offerings were nice but not really new and not available until the fall.

    The thing that really is off-putting is that most of these things require the latest Google/Android software and, historically, very few available Google/Android devices are running the latest software. 

    I think the days of "show-stopper" announcements from any of the techs are going to be increasingly rare. In fact I don't remember one from anybody in the last 18-24 months or so, but maybe I've missed one or two. There's not a lot going on right now that several companies haven't thought of, nor much that doesn't get reported well before the official reveals. 
    edited May 2016 lord amhranjackansi
  • Reply 19 of 55
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    cali said:
    loekf said:
    No competition for HomeKit, because HomeKit is a joke. It's a missed opportunity for Apple. They could have made the AppleTV the central hub, but looks like they insist on buillding it around your phone (or iPad).

    I have an Amazon Echo here, loving it.
    Yeah Apple is really dragging their feet here.
    I do think iPhone is a better hub since it's always with you and not in another room, but how much progress has HomeKit really accomplished? Apple TV was certainly lacking a ton of features and opportunities. 

    And where's the Home app?
    HealthKit/Health
    HomeKit/Home.
    i figured we would get Home at least by iOS 9.
    Actually, I think the iPhone is a horrible hub...because it's always with you, even when you are away from home. It's a great interface to a hub, which needs to stay home to control your devices. There are many different protocols/methods to communicate with smart devices (wifi, bluetooh, zwave, zigbee, insteon, etc) and we are a long way off from having any sort of unifying standard. Your phone is simply incapable to communicating with a large number of smart devices without going through an intermediary. If I need to go and purchase a hub (SmartThings, Wink, Iris, Hue Bridge, etc) I'm going to end up using that hub's supplied app to control it.

    Apple could have made Apple TV a smart home hub with zigbee and zwave support and a control app on your phone and it would have likely crushed nearly all of the other smart home systems out there and placed Apple in control of a large portion of the smart home market and collected billions in "Made for Apple Home" licensing fees.
    patchythepiratejackansi
  • Reply 20 of 55
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    rogifan_new said:
    cali said:
    Yeah Apple is really dragging their feet here.
    I do think iPhone is a better hub since it's always with you and not in another room, but how much progress has HomeKit really accomplished? Apple TV was certainly lacking a ton of features and opportunities. 

    And where's the Home app?
    HealthKit/Health
    HomeKit/Home.
    i figured we would get Home at least by iOS 9.
    Apparently an app is being announced at WWDC but I'm sure people will complain if it's a native app that can't be deleted.
    Yes. Announced.
    "And everybody here gets a beta copy TODAY!" "Release to general public to take place in Fall of 2017"
    ...And the crowd goes wild!!
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