Google Planning to Launch Echo Show-Like Smart Speaker With Touch Screen Later This Year

[MacRumors]

Google entered the smart speaker market in 2016 with the introduction of Google Home, allowing users to speak to Google Assistant and control various smart home products, listen to music, get the news, and more. Eventually, Google added the Home Mini and Home Max to the lineup, introducing products that were direct competitors to the Amazon Echo Dot and Apple HomePod, respectively.

Looking forward, the next Google Home will be a smart speaker equipped with a touch display that should arrive in time for the holiday shopping season, according to sources speaking to Nikkei Asian Review. This means that the new device "is likely to be similar to the Amazon Echo Show," which includes a display so users can do things like watch videos, view photos, and hold video calls.

The Lenovo Smart Display with Google Assistant (left) and Amazon Echo Show (right)​

Google's plan for the upcoming device is described as "aggressive":

"Google targets to ship some 3 million units for the first batch of the new model of smart speaker that comes with a screen," an industry source said. "It's an aggressive plan."

Earlier in 2018, Google announced a new "Smart Display" platform with partners like Lenovo, JBL, and Sony. Through these partnerships, the Google Assistant can be placed in devices not directly built by Google, like the Lenovo Smart Display and upcoming JBL Link View and ThinQ View. The new product described in today's report would represent Google's own first-party entry into this market.

Google and Amazon butted heads following the launch of the Echo Show last year, when Google removed YouTube from any Amazon Echo device with a screen. Google said that Amazon was violating its terms of service, but in December 2017 a YouTube spokesperson explained that the removal was due to Amazon not carrying certain Google products. This grants the upcoming speaker-equipped Google Home a potential edge in the market as Nikkei points out that playing and browsing YouTube will likely be a major selling point.

For Apple, the company is sticking to smart speakers without full displays. Although the HomePod does include a small screen that provides a visual indicator for Siri and volume buttons, no information regarding the currently playing song or album selection is available. Currently, the main rumor for the next iteration of HomePod is that Apple is working on a low-cost version of the speaker.

Google typically holds a hardware event in October, so we should hear more about the upcoming Google Home speaker with a touch screen -- if it exists -- around that time.

Article Link: Google Planning to Launch Echo Show-Like Smart Speaker With Touch Screen Later This Year

 

[A MacBook lover]

Of course they are. #Copy #datamine

 

[daverso]

Yeah I’ll pass.

 

[69Mustang]

I talked the wife out of the Echo Show. I am not going to be able to talk her out of this. She wants a kitchen device to replace my bootleg solution of a Chromecast and a spare monitor. At least JBL is getting involved... silver-lined cloud and all that.

 

[djeeyore25]

I love my Echo Shows, but I'd love them more with access to YouTube again.

 

[T5BRICK]

I talked the wife out of the Echo Show. I am not going to be able to talk her out of this. She wants a kitchen device to replace my bootleg solution of a Chromecast and a spare monitor. At least JBL is getting involved... silver-lined cloud and all that.

The Lenovo Smart Display is already available and it has received very positive reviews. Don’t tell your wife?

 

[69Mustang]

The Lenovo Smart Display is already available and it has received very positive reviews. Don’t tell your wife?

Luckily, she's a big fan of JBL. I got her a couple of Pulse's a few years back and she loves them and the company. We almost had that Lenovo 'til I told her JBL was going to have one. I don't really care for smart speakers, but the wife... whaddayagonnado?

 

[Mascots]

I can't wait until the innovation of these show like devices is that they can be used like tablets...

 

[dabocx]

I use my google home mini in the kitchen a lot so I would be interested in one with a screen. I also want something with better audio than my 5 dollar google mini.

Hopefully, someone can put one out that does both. I don't need Sonos 5 or Google home max audio quality.

 

[bluespark]

Google should focus on dramatically reshaping the Google Home/Assistant user interface and killing the enormous number of bugs their system has. Despite Google’s many strengths, Home/Assistant is wildly buggy and unintuitive compared to Amazon Alexa.

 

[dabocx]

Google should focus on dramatically reshaping the Google Home/Assistant user interface and killing the enormous number of bugs their system has. Despite Google’s many strengths, Home/Assistant is wildly buggy and unintuitive compared to Amazon Alexa.

Looking at reviews of the Lenovo version the UI looks pretty good and it seems pretty good at knowing when to pull up a video or reformatting things like recipes. It's not perfect but it's pretty good so far and Google seems to be pushing hard into the home space with constant updates.

Google assistant is googles most impressive product to me right now. Shame they cant make a good phone to go with it.

 

[nutmac]

I am frankly baffled by all these smart speakers with a screen. Back in my days, these things were called TV.

Many of the latest TVs this year support Alexa and/or Google Assistant, but the integration is misguided as the TV themselves do not function as a standalone smart voice assistant.

I really hope Apple is working on always on TV as I see tremendous potentials.

• If I set an alarm, the bedroom TV gently wakes me up with snapshot of my day (calendar, weather, important notifications and VIP emails I may have missed).
• Shared Family Whiteboard where everyone in the family can dictate notes, reminders, or send scribbles and pictures from the iPad, iPhone, Mac, or Apple Pencil.
• Siri with visual feedback.
• Find My Stuff (iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods) with a map.
• Home app.

 

[Meinjapan]

"I am frankly baffled by all these smart speakers with a screen. Back in my days, these things were called TV."

I wasn't a fan of smart speakers when they first came out. After seeing one in someone's home, I soon saw some advantages of having one.

In Japan, I run an English conversation school. Very quickly young students speak clearer English. They want to interact with the speaker, but it only understands English, so students try to pronunciate words more clearly. Also, it is good for listening practice as well.
For me, it is good for travel as the speaker sends the information direct to my phone. Also, diary management, reminders, IPod speaker etc.

 

[Rum_Becker]

I use my google home mini in the kitchen a lot so I would be interested in one with a screen. I also want something with better audio than my 5 dollar google mini.

Hopefully, someone can put one out that does both. I don't need Sonos 5 or Google home max audio quality.

$5 !! I feel ripped off paying $10 now. J/K

 

[RuthJ]

Luckily, she's a big fan of JBL. I got her a couple of Pulse's a few years back and she loves them and the company. We almost had that Lenovo 'til I told her JBL was going to have one. I don't really care for smart speakers, but the wife... whaddayagonnado?

Haha I can understand why your wife would want one because I just bought a Lenovo Smart Display! I'm amazed by it and its perf for the house especially in the kitchen (recipe and multiple timer functions) or the bedroom! Love the fact that I can use Youtube on it too.