Tag: Google Assistant

Apple And Google Will No Longer Listen To Private Conversations

Previously, several reports had surfaced that accused both Apple and Google of listening to users’ private conversations. Both companies explained through their official channels that the recordings were transcribed to improve their respective voice assistants. Now, Apple and Google are reportedly shutting down the program which had contractors listen in on private conversations.

Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri are both voice assistants that occasionally sent voice recordings of their surroundings to their parent companies. The companies claimed that they had started the program of hiring contractors, who listened to the recordings, for the purpose of improving the user interaction with the voice assistants. As of today, Google and Apple have suspended their respective programs after facing backlash from the community and regulatory bodies.

Apple in a statement said that they wanted to conduct a global review of its program to retain trust users trust in privacy. Grading had third party contractors listen to the recordings from Siri. Now, users can opt-in for the program and participate in grading. Furthermore, Google after having faced allegations, after its Dutch user recording was leaked, has also suspended its voice assistant program. Its “Hey Google” wake word had inadvertently triggered and had recorded many private and sensitive moments. Hence, the company will review its program as well.

Notably, the concerns raised over user privacy have become an increasingly sensitive aspect in the European regions. It is expected that Governmental regulatory bodies will soon step in and investigate the matter separately. However, the issue has expanded to an international level and should require some form of mediation if carried forward.

Also Read: Sony Announces Online Challenger Series Tournament For Every PS4 User

The digital world has dug its roots deep into humans’ lives. We are now observing much more at risk than ever regarding our privacy and data. Companies like Google and Apple operate on a global scale and have influences over a much broader audience. It is a daunting prospect to think about when considering the control these companies have over the general public. Stay tuned for more updates regarding the matter.

August 2, 2019
Google Allows Its Employees To Listen To Voice Assistant Interaction With Users

Google has been accused of privacy related data breaches on many different occasions. According to a new report, the search giant has reportedly let some of its workers listen in on the intimate conversations between the user and its voice Assistant. The company in a statement has sought to defend the incident by claiming it to be for the users benefit. It is claimed to be a crucial aspect of delivering a better user experience overall.

Google Home, Home Mini

Google, in a blog post, stated that it takes various steps to ensure the complete anonymity of the user during the process; and that it has protections in place to prevent false recognition of the wake word. A report from a Belgian public broadcaster had first revealed the fact that contractors are paid to transcribe audio clips by Google’s AI Assistant; the conversation recorded may hold sensitive and private information regarding the user’s name, address and other personal details. A month ago even Amazon’s Alexa was accused of withholding audio clips of juveniles via its Echo devices without there consent.

Usually, audio clips are only recorded by the previously menitoned AI assistants once the wake word is spoken. However, multiple reports have shown such devices being woken up by accident and then go on recording its surroundings. Google says it has employees review the recordings to help in improving the system on multiple different languages to prevent such accidents. The company says it is a critical part of the process to make its Google Assistant viable.

Furthermore, Google also stated that it has caught two of its reviewers who had violated its data security policies. It is reported that they had leaked confidential Dutch audio data. The company has promised its review on this mistake and is investigating thoroughly on the matter. Additionally, Google claims that only 0.2% of all audio clips are reviewed by its language experts; the snippets are also not associated with the users accounts and the reviewers are instructed to ignore transcribing background conversations. They are only allowed to transcribe snippets aimed exclusively at Google and its services.

Also Read: Apple iPhone X & XS Prices To Drop Soon After Made In India Units Arrive

It is a known fact by people that work at the AI fields that human elements are necessary for training and growth. However, issues arise when large corporations like Google and Amazon are not transparent about their operations that involves its users. The end result was for the betterment of the customers but it seems lost when shrouded by secrecy that is later uncovered. Users should note that their conversation might just be heard by someone somewhere in the world, and avoid being near AI assistants during private interactions.

July 12, 2019
Google Assistant Updated With Ton Of Revolutionary Features

On the 7th of May 2019, Google held the I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California. As expected, it unveiled the long-anticipated Pixel 3a smartphone duo. The other notable product launched at the event was the Nest Hub Max which is the companies second-generation smart display. Other than the aforementioned hardware and software announcement, the company showcased new features for Google Assistant which are nothing short of groundbreaking.

Offline Centric Update

With the latest update, Google has primarily focussed on providing the existing features of the Assistant application without the need for an active internet connection. The company states that the new update completely changes how the data processing on the assistant is achieved. Previously, the inputs provided to the assistant was computed on the company’s data centres. But, following the update, all the data will be processed locally on the device itself. Noteworthy, Google has managed to shrink 100 GB of speech recognition and language understanding data to a bite-size 0.5 GB. Therefore, it can be locally stored on a smartphone or tablet, resulting in a reduction of latency to a greater extent.

The company claims that the updated Assistant can process requests up to 10 times faster. Furthermore, users can even multitask across different applications with the help of the voice assistant. The requirement for saying ‘Hey Google’ prefix before every command has also been eliminated. Consequently, users can have a human-like conversation with a virtual assistant. However, the next generation Assistant which rolls out later this year will only be limited to Pixel phones for an uncertain period.

Duplex Makes Its Way To The Web

Last year Google introduced Duplex technology, which is intended towards simplifying tasks that are usually performed manually. Originally, it could make phone calls on behalf of the user which in itself is a praiseworthy feature. After the update, it will also be able to handle certain processes which are a common affair like buying movie tickets online or booking a taxi. Duplex is able to achieve the said tasks by auto-filling the details of the users which greatly reduce the effort and time that it normally requires. The updated abilities will make their way to the app later this year in the US and UK for Android devices.

Assistant Becomes More Up Close

As the title suggests, Google assistant, after the update will be able to provide answers or execute tasks based on the personal references of an individual. For example, if the assistant has been informed about a particular contact, the assistant can answer questions about events like birthday or other relevant events based on the provided information. Another reference could be asking whether details of a friend’s place. Given, the assistant is aware of their location.

Furthermore, the assistant can also recommend suggestions based on past choices and decisions. The newly launched ‘Nest Smart Hub’ with the help of updated assistant will provide personalized suggestions starting with recipes, events and podcasts. For example, If a user asks for dinner recommendations, the assistant would answer based on past choices. Therefore, would suggest food dishes from a particular cuisine if the user had previously ordered a particular dish.

Driving Mode Built Into The Assistant

Even though driving mode has been available on Android devices for quite some time, its adaption has been rather limited. With the updated Google assistant, the company intends to change that. The driving mode built into the assistant can be easily toggled with the help of voice command “Hey Google, let’s drive”. The mode when turned on displays the on-screen content in a particular manner which custom tailored to the user.

Impressively, if a contact calls while driving, the assistant will speak aloud their details based on which the user can accept or decline the incoming call with a voice command. In addition, other tasks like messaging or asking for navigation can all be achieved with voice command, hands-free.

Also Read: Google Announces New Features That Will Accompany Android Q

Furthermore, the updated Google assistant can turn on the air conditioner in the user’s car before they reach, implied the vehicle supports the functionality. Last but not least, an ongoing alarm can be turned off via the ‘stop’ voice command.

May 8, 2019
Google To Replace ‘Voice Match Unlock’ With Assistant Lock Screen Access

Previously, Android devices could be unlocked with a matching ‘Hey Google’ voice sample from the user. Google removed this feature when it launched the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL with the updated Google Assistant so that users could not use their voice as a password to unlock the device. At the CES 2019, the American Multinational company announced that this new behaviour will roll out to all Android devices, and the update seems to already be on its way.

About The Update

Instead of the traditional voice unlock, Voice match recognition will now provide a whole new Assistant interface on the lock screen, which will display personal results tailored to the user. Upon saying the ‘Hey Google’ or ‘Ok Google’ phrase, the Assistant will show/read out emails, dictate the tasks for the day, display reminders and shopping lists. The user will have to enter his/her PIN, password or use the fingerprint scanner in order to unlock the smartphone and access the rest of the options.

Security Flaws

In the past, the user could directly go to the unlocked home screen by saying a command like “Ok Google, what’s the weather?”. This was a security flaw as anyone with the user’s voice sample could unlock the device. Google itself warned users against using Voice Match, which was less secure than other authentication options.

Update Release

As per sources, the new updated Voice match will be a standard feature across all Google devices, including smart speakers and smart displays. The update has already been spotted in Google app 9.27 on the Moto Z and Pixel 3 XL. The company is also rolling out a server-side update for the same. To check if the feature has been updated or not, the user can check in Google Assistant Settings>Assistant tab > Assistant devices list >Lock Screen Personal results. The last option ‘Personal results’ is the replacement of the ‘Unlock with Voice Match’ option.

Also Read: Samsung Launches Galaxy A10 With Infinity-V Display

Even devices with Google app version 9.31 have yet to get rid of the Voice unlock feature. Users may see the new Google Assistant update on their devices in the forthcoming weeks.

March 1, 2019
Upcoming Update Will Augment Messaging App & Google Assistant Integration

With an upcoming update, Google assistant will show relevant suggestions about the subject of the message while it is being typed. The assistant will look for keywords in the message which with the help of AI algorithms will be used to populate the suggestions. One such example of this feature could be suggesting reviews of a particular place or destination that is being talked about in the message. Not just this, Google will also introduce 7 new Indic languages to its Google Assistant. Doing so will enable support for Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Urdu. Also, the AI model of the Assistant will be more suited to a higher number of users.

About The Update

The Android Messages application is preinstalled on nearly all Android smartphones, so integration with such an application would be fairly easier. Smart texting has been around for a while now. Links inserted in text messages automatically show web previews whenever an internet connection is available. Google posted that this feature can be used with any device that uses Android (even Go editions), iOS and KaiOS.

Google Assistant Integration

The Google Assistant integration is also seen in other Google apps like Maps, where drivers can get hands-free instructions regarding which directions to follow, making calls and read out texts. Similarly, the Android Messages app will rely on AI to provide suggestions that can make texting easier. It displays the information as a ‘suggestion chip’, and the user can click on it and just add that piece of info to the message.

Platform Support

Google has also brought Voice Typing on KaiOS, which can help translate speech to text conveniently. As mentioned before, the multilingual support will help the Assistant to improve support for multiple dialects and accents. Apart from Indic languages, Google Assistant also adds support for bilingual talkback, with language support choices from Korean, Hindi, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch.

Also Read: Nubia Alpha Foldable Smartwatch Launched At MWC 2019

Users can soon install the update rolling out to their devices. Let us know what you think about these features in the comments below.

February 26, 2019
Google Brings Real Time Translate To All Assistant Enabled Headphones

The Google Pixel Buds are a pair of AI powered earphones which were launched back in 2017. They pack a lot of features such as touch controls, asking for directions, skipping songs and interaction via the Google Assistant. One of the greatest feature this integration brought is the ability for real time translation of languages. Earlier, this really cool feature required for you to have the Pixel Buds and a Pixel smartphone. Now, Google has opened up support for other Google Assistant enabled headphones and all Android devices.

Also Read: Lenovo To Launch S5 Pro On October 18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=103&v=oQVQVt5H2QM

Demonstrated at last year’s made by google event, the Pixel Buds can translate what a person in front of you is saying. They then translate your reply and play it back to them via the speakers of your Pixel Device. While this is a really helpful and cool feature, it didn’t really pick up. This is because the Pixel Buds weren’t a hit with customers and not everyone has a Pixel smartphone. However, this will change with the new announcement. Now you can access this feature using any Android device coupled with a Google Assistant enabled headphones. The list of headphones which are capable of doing this at the moment is not very long. It includes the JBL Everest 710GA, Bose QuietComfort 35 II, Sony WH-1000XM2, Sony WI-1000X, OnePlus Bullets and a few more.

Those having any of the above headphones along with an Android device with Google Assistant, will now be able to use the real-time translation feature. Google announced this through the support page for the Pixel Buds. However, one still needs an active data connection to use this feature.

The Google Pixel Buds are Google’s answer to the Apple Air Pods but did not live up to the expectations that the company had. However, this move by Google will surely change the way people use headphones.

October 15, 2018
‘Top Shot’ Leaked For Google Pixel 3

With just a few days to go for the Launch Event, yet another leaks reveals more about the Google Pixel 3. While extensive leaks have already covered the vital specs of the device, this new leak shows off some features of the device. They were spotted in what seems to be a catalogue for Google devices. The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will feature a ‘Top Shot’ feature and a ‘face down’ feature. Also spotted in the same leak is the upcoming Google Home Hub device.

Also Read: New Leak Shows Off Sand Pink Pixel 3 And Pixel 3 XL

The new Top Shot feature in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL lets you capture the perfect shot every time, according to the leak. The content reads “Capture smiles, not blinks, and take group selfies with everyone.” What this could possibly mean is that the new feature can detect when you blink, thus taking better selfies. It also would be able to identify smiles. This is probably going to be done through AI integration with the camera. The group selfie feature also confirms that one out of the two front facing cameras on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be a wide angle lens.

Specifications

The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will have a main 12 MP f /1.8 camera. The devices also have a dual front camera setup. Both the devices will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The devices will have a 5.4 inch 2160 x 1080px and 6.71 inch 2960 x 1440px display respectively. Both Pixel devices will have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of Storage in the base variants. However, they may be offered in up to 256GB storage sizes. The smaller standard sized Pixel will be powered by a 3000 mAh battery while the larger XL will get a 3400 mAh battery.

Th catalogue also mentions that you can just flip your Pixel 3 device face down to turn off notifications. This could be one of the features that is included in Google’s Digital Wellbeing program which aims to curb your smartphone addiction. What this feature would do is basically switch your device to Do Not Disturb when you flip it. The feature is called ‘Flip to Shh’. It had already shown up in some of the Beta versions of the Digital Wellbeing program.

Google Home Hub

The Google Home Hub is a smart display designed to work with Google Assistant. The device is pegged to have a 7 inch screen and ‘crystal clear audio’. The device focuses on getting things done hands free and working with voice search. You can get your commute , calendar, reminders and more on your home screen. It will also enable you to control your lights, cameras, TVs and more utilise the Google assistant to the fullest. Most of these features are available in Alexa enabled devices and the Apple HomePod. While the Hub has an advantage over these devices in terms of a display, pricing is going to be key for Google.

The launch event for Google is set for October 9. It will see the launch of many devices other than the Pixel 3 Smartphones and the Home Hub.

October 6, 2018
Google’s New App Lets You Use Your Android Device Hands-Free

The Google Voice Access app has been launched and provides an entirely hands-free experience to users. The feature is only available on Android phones as of now and lets you navigate through apps, compose and edit text, and talk to Google Assistant. The tech giant has made this app keeping in mind the millions of people with motor and mobility impairments.

The app provides a much more extensive experience as compared to the Google Assistant. With the new app, you can “click buttons”, control apps, scroll and navigate app screens and basically do almost anything, without having to touch the phone. While Google has built the app to help people with disabilities, those without a disability can use it too. The app will is handy in tight situations like cooking or when one has got their hands full.

It works through a system which places numbers on the screen, which you can call out to access those features. Simply call out the number and the app will perform the specific task or open the feature. To get a better understanding the position of numbers, take a look at the image below.

Other than this, you can also instruct your smartphone to “turn up the volume” or “turn off device”. You can also change these in the settings menu. You can also instruct the device to scroll up or down through a menu. The app also helps you send whole messages and has simple editing tools as well. You can tell the app to change or delete certain words and even delete entire lines. You can also access the full list of commands under the “show all commands” section in the settings menu.

The Google Voice Access App is available Globally on the PlayStore for free. As of now, it only supports English language and Google is bringing additional languages to the app soon.

October 3, 2018
Google I/O 2018 : Google Assistant Gets New Conversational Skills

Artificial Intelligence is a general theme at the 2018 Google I/O conference. Ever since the Google Pixel 2 devices were launched, the company has talked up AI a lot and its Google Assistant is about to become much smarter than it already is. At the conference, Google demonstrated the Google Assistant’s ability to have a human-like conversation with other humans in a non-controlled environment and it was nothing short of impressive. The technology is called Google Duplex and the company has been working on it for years.

Sundar Pichai came on stage and talked a bit about Google Assistant’s integration with many services. He then mentioned that Google Assistant can now set up appointments and make restaurant reservations. The catch here is that it can do this even if a certain outlet is not listed on a restaurant booking app. Sundar Pichai said:

We’ve been working on this technology for many years. We’re still developing this technology, and we want to work hard to get this technology and the expectations right.

He then demonstrated a real conversation between the Google Assistant and a salon rep for a “women’s haircut appointment.” The conversation did not sound staged and that is what made it even more impressive. The Google Assistant was able to recognise where the conversation was headed and gave absolutely normal responses, never once making the “human” feel like they are talking to an AI assistant and not a person.

The blog post from the company reads:

The technology is directed towards completing specific tasks, such as scheduling certain types of appointments. For such tasks, the system makes the conversational experience as natural as possible, allowing people to speak normally, like they would to another person, without having to adapt to a machine.

Fair to say that, going by the demos, the company appears to have got the tech absolutely right. It will be interesting to see how Google localises this technology for other countries. It will be great to see Google Assistant have the same abilities and be integrated with Indian services and maintain the Indian accent as well.

May 9, 2018
Google Assistant Now Chats In Hindi
Google Assistant is one of the most used voice assistants in the world. The Google Assistant is available on Android smartphones running on Android 6 Marshmallow or newer versions. In fact, the company is also working to bring this feature to Android 5 Lollipop running devices.

It is also available for iOS, JioPhone, and Android Oreo Go edition smartphones as well. Google today announced that the Google Assistant will be now available in Hindi. Hindi is the first Indian language to support Google Assistant, which is the most commonly used language in India. Similarly, this will enable Google to onboard the next million users to use the Assistance, who cannot understand English.

The Google Assistant will get better over time. With your permission, it can learn your preferences, your likes and your dislikes. All these things happen in a private and secure way, without sharing your details. To access the Google Assistant in Hindi, set your device language to Hindi and update your Google Search app to the latest version.

Purvi Shah, Technical Program Manager, Assistant said:

The Google Assistant is truly Indian, it’s your helpful dost that speaks our language and understands the things you care about, from finding biryani recipes, to pulling up the latest cricket score, or finding directions to the nearest ATM. In order to make it even more useful to Indians over time, developers and businesses can now build Actions for the Hindi Assistant through the developer platform Actions on Google. Once an action is built, you can just say “Ok Google, talk to” and access the service or content straight through your Google Assistant.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask your Assistant
- Sabse kareeb Punjabi restaurant kahaan hain?
- Dadar tak pahunchne mein kitna samay lagega?
- Cricket ka score kya hain?
You can even instruct it
- Kal subah mujhe saat baje jagaao
- Selfie kheencho
- Daddy ko SMS bhejo “5 minutes mein pahunchenge”
March 15, 2018
Google Assistant Now Available For Apple iPads
Google Assistant is one of the best AI assistants right now. It competes closely with Amazon Alexa but, has a much better integration with the mobile OS. Also, Android is the most used OS in the world which means Google Assistant is available on more devices. But, Google Assistant has not limited itself to just Android devices. Google made the Assistant available for iPhones in 2017 and has now rolled out the support for iPad as well. However, unlike an Android device, the Google Assistance has some limitations due to API restrictions.

The Google Assistant on Apple iPads can perform tasks like setting a reminder, turning on the light etc. In fact, it can also be used to make a video call or sending a text message.

The Assistant can also be used with another app using iOS multitasking capabilities. However, as this is an Apple device, Google Assistant cannot be revoked by long pressing the home similar to Siri. The Google Assistant will be available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish.

One has to download the app from Apple app store

Here are the some of the basic commands that can be used with Google Assistant
- Set the mood by having the Assistant “dim the lights”
- Cast to your TV by asking the Assistant to “watch the latest news on the living room TV”
- Stay in touch by asking the Assistant to “video call mom” or “text Lauren”
- Keep up with your chores by asking the Assistant to “remind me to take out the recycling at 8 PM”
Minimum hardware and software required
- iOS 10 or latest operating system
- 155.6 MB of Data
- 300 MB of Storage
March 14, 2018
“Hey Google” Can Now Wake Up Your Device

The Google Assistant was introduced with Android 7 Nougat and with it, came the ability talk to your AI assistant. There has been the ability to search for anything on the Google app via voice commands but, a new feature is rolling out to devices that have Google Assistant which is different than just a voice search. Using the hotword “Hey Google” or “OK Google,” people can launch the Google Assistant and invoke a search.

This feature was introduced back in October but, it was only available on a handful of devices. Now, a larger rollout of this feature has begun for devices that have Google Assistant support. Google also recently started seeding out Google Assistant support for Android 5 Lollipop users.

A notification asking people to re-setup the voice model (which is required for the new command to work) has appeared on many devices. If a user has not received any notification of this kind, they can head over to Settings > Google > Voice and re-setup the voice model.

Once you re-setup the voice model, you can use either “OK Google” or “Hey Google” to open Google Search/Assistant. Just like with the old phrase, it even works when your screen is off, on some devices.

December 18, 2017
You Can Now Experience Google Assistant On Devices Running Android 5 Lollipop
Google Assistant, the AI assistant that is omnipresent on all Android devices running Android 6 Marshmallow or higher is finally available for devices that are still on Android 5 Lollipop. The update has started seeding which will enable Android tablets and smartphones running Android 5 Lollipop to experience the smart assistant. On tablets, Assistant will be limited to Android 7 Nougat and Android 6 Marshmallow OS versions for now.

At the time of its introduction, Google Assistant was only available for Android devices running Android 7 Nougat. Due to the highly fragmented Android smartphone market, it was quintessential on Google’s part to release the AI assistant to the previous version of the OS as well. One of the main reasons for a vast roll-out of Google Assistant is the staggering numbers that show that old Android OS versions are still prevalent in the market. Old devices running older versions of the operating system are still available in the market in abundance.

Android 8.0 Oreo is currently available on only 0.3% Android phones, while iOS 11, which was launched in September is present in over 50% of iOS devices. For further context, here is the Android OS and the percentage of Android phones running it:
- Android KitKat (13.8%) – 2013,
- Lollipop (27.2%) – 2014,
- Marshmallow (30.9%) – 2015
- Nougat (20.6%) – 2016
Google definitely feels that AI is the future and is trying its best to spread the Google Assistant to as many phones as possible. It recently announced that the JioPhone will also support Google Assistant. This could mean that other feature phones could also be Google Assitant compatible in the future.

Google Assistant on Android 5.0 Lollipop has started to roll out to users with the language set to English in the US, UK, India, Australia, Canada and Singapore, as well as in Spanish in the US, Mexico and Spain. Google is also rolling out to the Assistant to users in Italy, Japan, Germany, Brazil and Korea.

Google Assistant is a smart AI assistant that can carry out tasks on the basis of your voice commands. It can set reminders, make a shopping list and tell the weather.
December 14, 2017
Google Assistant Is Coming To The JioPhone

Google has announced that the JioPhone will be the first feature phone which will have Google Assistant support.

JioPhone

The Indian market has over 500 million feature phones and Google plans to reach out to many of such feature phone owners through its AI assistant. It isn’t clear yet if JioPhone is the only feature phone in Google’s roadmap or is it the first of many.

JioPhone is a 4G feature phone that runs KaiOS, a custom operating system based on Firefox OS. The JioPhon, launched earlier this year is available for free (with a deposit) and even has its own voice assistant, HelloJio.

Google is bringing a customised version of the Google Assistant with Hindi voice support, that is adapted to the device’s 2.4-inch QVGA colour screen. While the interface will be much different than the one found on Android and iOS devices, the core functionalities of the Google Assitant are expected to be the same.

Google might end up working with Nokia well to bring Google Assistant to its line of feature phones as well but, that is not confirmed yet.

December 5, 2017
Apple Pushes The Launch Of HomePod Smart Speaker To Early 2018

The holiday season is a time when companies try to push their marquee products into the market to take advantage of an average consumer’s spending spree. Apple Inc however, has decided to evade this season and wait till early next year to launch its much awaited foray into the smart speaker industry. HomePod, the Siri powered smart speaker which was unveiled back in June will start shipping to the US, UK and Australia in only early 2018.

The smart speaker industry has become more competitive this year and launching a first smart speaker at the end of 2017 was already a but late from Apple. Amazon’s Echo lineup and Alphabet Inc’s Google Home speakers have been dominating the market and with a price tag of US $349, the HomePod already have a stiff competition from its own price tag.

Amazon Echo Dot Retails For US $49

Bob O’Donnell, founder of Technalysis Research, said, “Apple has forecast between $84 billion and $87 billion in revenue for the holiday – mostly driven by sales of its $999 iPhone X – so it’s unlikely that missing a few weeks of sales of its $349 speaker will affect its financial results.”

AI Assistants are more used in smart speakers than phones. Even if the majority of Echo or Google Home users own an iPhone, it is highly likely that they’re talking to Alexa or Google Assistant more than Siri.

Google Home Mini retails for US $49 as well

Another big responsibilty on the shoulders of the HomePod is Apple Music. The rival smart speakers play music from Spotify, even though Google and Amazon have their own music streaming services. The HomePod however, will not have this option and will drive more people to subscribe to Apple Music and the rise of rival Spotify.

November 18, 2017