Amazon Echo Show Competitor Being Developed by Google

Amazon was among the first few names to tap the markets of smart speakers. Amazon released the Amazon Echo powered by Alexa voice assistant which has been around for quite some time. It was the first of a kind device, which was later rivaled by the Google Home. Amazon stepped up with the Amazon Echo Show.

Amazon Echo Show was basically Amazon Echo but with a display. Google Home was Google’s answer to the Amazon Echo, and the company is now developing a competitor to the Amazon Echo Show as well.

Google Home is soon going to get an upgrade: A display.

This device from Google is expected to be a Google Home with a touch screen display. Current expectations point that it is unlikely for the device to release at the upcoming Google Hardware event. However, it is being expected to be announced at the Google I/O next year, or maybe even as early as the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2018.

Interestingly, this rival to the Amazon Echo Show from Google would also double up as a smart home hub which will allow the users to connect and control their smart home devices with voice commands.

Google is all set to rival the Amazon Echo Show

This Amazon Echo Show competitor from Google would be running on Android. As of now there’s no word on which version of the OS it would be. It is also uncertain if the device would support Google Play Store.

Reports indicate that this smart speaker from Google will come with a 7 inch display and is internally code-named as Project Manhattan. Google is said to have an early 2018 launch date for this device. Interestingly, just as the rumor for this new Google device breaks out, Google has blocked YouTube support on Amazon Echo Show devices.

With Facebook and Samsung too expected to announce their smart speakers next year and with the Apple Homepod already announced for December, it would be interesting to see how Google and Amazon deal with this new wave of competition.

Source: TechCrunch