Google may be prepping self-designed smart display for Christmas
Potentially creating an even bigger gap with Apple in the smartspeaker market, Google is looking to ship its own smart display in time for the holiday shopping season, a report claimed on Friday.
The Lenovo Smart Display in action.
"Google targets to ship some 3 million units for the first batch of the new model of smart speaker that comes with a screen," said one of several Nikkei sources. Few other details have been teased, but the product would presumably become the new flagship of Google's Smart Display platform, launched earlier this year.
The first such hardware was actually the third-party Lenovo Smart Display. LG, JBL, and Sony are working on their own equivalents.
The Smart Display platform is a branch of Google's Android Things, and mostly enhances the use of Google Assistant with visual feedback. It can also perform tasks that are hard or impossible on the audio-only Google Home however, such as watching YouTube videos and security cameras, or taking people step-by-step through recipes and driving directions.
Apple is already a latecomer to the smartspeaker space, having only launched the HomePod in February 2018. Amazon pioneered the market with the Echo in 2014, and the Google Home arrived in November 2016. Apple has so far bet on raw audio quality over Siri functionality, charging $349.
Rumors have swirled that Apple could ship a cheaper HomePod to combat its weak market position. There have been no rumors of a model with a display, despite the incoming wave of Smart Displays, and Amazon's existing Echo Show and Echo Spot.
The Lenovo Smart Display in action.
"Google targets to ship some 3 million units for the first batch of the new model of smart speaker that comes with a screen," said one of several Nikkei sources. Few other details have been teased, but the product would presumably become the new flagship of Google's Smart Display platform, launched earlier this year.
The first such hardware was actually the third-party Lenovo Smart Display. LG, JBL, and Sony are working on their own equivalents.
The Smart Display platform is a branch of Google's Android Things, and mostly enhances the use of Google Assistant with visual feedback. It can also perform tasks that are hard or impossible on the audio-only Google Home however, such as watching YouTube videos and security cameras, or taking people step-by-step through recipes and driving directions.
Apple is already a latecomer to the smartspeaker space, having only launched the HomePod in February 2018. Amazon pioneered the market with the Echo in 2014, and the Google Home arrived in November 2016. Apple has so far bet on raw audio quality over Siri functionality, charging $349.
Rumors have swirled that Apple could ship a cheaper HomePod to combat its weak market position. There have been no rumors of a model with a display, despite the incoming wave of Smart Displays, and Amazon's existing Echo Show and Echo Spot.
Comments
Removal of battery optional...
Yup. The challenges of making products that so many people want and how to build them fast enough.
Meanwhile, for the few that might have missed this latest test of Siri against rival agents in today's NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/17/technology/alexa-siri-conversation.html
That is all.
The reason Apple can’t really compete with this will be SIRI. Not a supply chain issue, so current management can’t figure out what to do.
Now available at your nearest floating container... er uh... Google Store, the SmartScreen Spyker system¡
(You say it does'nt have a camera -- why the hell do you think they are giving away Glasses 'just pay shipping and handling'). /s
I'm sure Lenovo feels great about this new production from Google. Another partner screwed over.
It can't long for the Samsung version shows up... I hope it is at least better than Google's.
Not sure if this was a deliberate play, but it reminded me instantly of "silly rabbit, tricks are for kids"!
What is the need for this?
I have a MacBook Pro, iMac5K, iPad Pro, iPhone X, Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods and about to get a HomePod.
What’s its purpose?
I find Siri extremely useful, except for some very unique situations. My devices are within reach, or already on me, so why the extra ecosystem?
Im not about to use the tiny screen that I can’t hold and walk around my house with...?
My smart devices are automated, and Siri handles scene setting by voice.
I don’t have kids, are these for kids?