It's hard to say if Google is already developing its answer to Amazon's Echo Show, a smart home speaker with a display, but the company now confirms that it's not ruling out such a possibility.
It would actually make sense for Google to add a product with a screen to its smart home assistant portfolio. While voice commands and hands-free user interfaces may be the next big thing in consumer tech, the technology simply just isn't there yet. We're extremely a long way to go toward an era where a display becomes entirely unnecessary.
Following Amazon's Footsteps
Amazon has the honor of being the first company to introduce such a product, and Facebook is reportedly going to enter the smart speaker race as well. The social network's products were delayed in light of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, but they weren't canceled.
It's already possible to see how a Google Home product with a screen would work. Google Assistant experiences are already accessible on third-party products with displays on them, like recently unveiled ones from Lenovo and Sony. Now, the company hints that such a product might come. In an interview with Variety, Google VP Rishi Chandra revealed the company's plans for the Google Home lineup.
"It's an emerging category," he said, in reference to smart speakers with built-in displays. "I'm not saying we are not going to do it." Chandra failed to offer any more hints as to when Google is planning to release the product. There was also no mention of how far along in development it is, let alone if it's being worked on currently. The executive did stress how important smart speakers are for Google.
Google Home Should Be A Must-Have Gadget
"The simple truth is we need to become a must-have product," said Chandra, admitting that the Google Home smart speaker lineup still hasn't reached a point where it's a necessity, like smartphones are. They're cool gadgets with neat little tricks, but it's not something people would rely on every day. Chandra said the company is trying to find ways on how to make Google Home a "daily-use" product.
Do you think Google can turn its Home product portfolio into must-have gadgets? Or do you think smart speakers will remain a niche and not something a large number of consumers will find necessary? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
