This week we saw a few developments in the #VoiceFirst space that might seem trivial on the surface, but are landmark improvements toward more fully-functional voice assistants. The first was from Amazon with the introduction of “Follow-up mode.” As you can see from Dr. Ahmed Bouzid’s video below, this removes having to say, “Alexa” for each subsequent question that you ask in succession as there is now a five-second window where the mic stays on (when this setting is activated). I know it seems minor, but this is an important step for making communication with our assistants feel more natural.
The second, as reported by The Verge, was the introduction of Google’s multi-step smart home routines. These routines are an incremental improvement on the smart home as they allow for you to link multiple actions into one command. If I had a bunch of smart appliances all synced to my Google Assistant, I could create a routine built around the voice command, “Honey, I’m homeeee” and have that trigger my Google assistant to start playing music, turn on my lights, adjust my thermostat, etc. In the morning, I might say, “Rise and shine” which then starts brewing a cup of coffee and reading my morning briefing, the weather and the traffic report.
This will roll out in waves in terms of what accessories and android functionality are compatible with routines. Routines make smart home devices that much more compelling for those interested in this type of home setting.
The last piece of news pertains to the extent of which Amazon is investing in its Alexa division. If you recall, Jeff Bezos said during Amazon’s Q4 earnings call in February that Amazon would, “double down” on Alexa. Here’s one example of what “doubling down” might entail as Amazon continues to aggressively scale the Amazon Alexa division within the company:
As our smart assistants keep taking baby steps in their progression toward being true, personal assistants, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is one of the biggest arms races among the tech giants.
-Thanks for Reading-
Dave
Great Article, very interesting that this seems to be the space all the tech giants are trying own. I like how google assistant now allows you to send and receive money with your voice. Allows me to buy and sell stocks at an alarming speed. #mogulmoves
Hi Dr. Spiguzza,
Yes, it’s probably one of the major areas that each tech company is heavily investing in. Google’s got a lot of advantages and is typically preferred by moguls who buy & sell at blinding speeds.
Thanks for reading and for your input!
Dave