We’ve had smart speakers for nearly a decade now, with the Alexa-powered Amazon Echo kicking things off in 2014. Since then, there have been loads of changes in this space, with multiple companies trying to beat the competition by providing users with thebest smart speakerexperience possible. Some opted to useGoogle Assistantwhile others partnered withAlexa, but regardless of the choice, these digital assistants work to make our lives easier — sometimes.
None of these voice assistants are perfect, but over the years since their intial introductions, we’ve seen regular improvements and features added to make these digital housemates not only smarter, but also faster. However, Google has been less interested in Assistant these days, choosing to ramp up work on other AI-related projects likeBard. On the other side of the fence, Amazon continues to maintain its focus on not only improving Alexa, but also the devices that it powers. This week, during its annual Devices and Services event, Amazon showed its commitment to both Alexa and smart home products.Compared to Google’s lackluster offerings, Amazon seems poised for a victory.
Alexa is making it tough for me to stick with Google Assistant
Even though I bought the first Amazon Echo when it launched — and even found myself quite impressed with it — I remember wanting nothing more than for Google to respond with its own smart speaker powered by its own digital assistant. That was because, like so many of you reading this, I’m very much entwined with all of Google services, and I wanted to take advantage of that. So, when the first Google Home speaker hit the market in 2016, I was all over it.
As the years went on and we saw moreexcellent Google Assistant speakershit the market, I slowly added new devices to my home. At first, I was very happy with both the devices and the overall experience I was having. Google was regularly improving Assistant and adding new ways to interact with both its speakers and smart displays. But a couple of years ago, it seemed the overall experience of using those devices — and the voice assistant in general — began to degrade. These days, asking to turn off my lights nearly always ends with me standing awkwardly in a still-lit room. Even something as simple as setting a reminder often fails on the first try.
For me, Google Assistant had a substantial lead over Amazon Alexa, but as Google got complacent, I now have more faith in Amazon’s future in smart home tech.
Thanks to my lost trust in Google Assistant, I’ve slowly been adding more and more Amazon Echo devices around the house (yes, I know I have a problem). In my busy household, my wife and I, and even, on occasion, my kids, rely on our smart speakers to stay organized and entertained. When I call out to my digital assistant, it’s because I’m busy with other tasks, and using voice to set a timer, a reminder, adjust lighting, play music, or whatever else I may need is more efficient than grabbing my phone. So, when it fails to handle simple requests correctly, it’s extremely frustrating.
Amazon showed its commitment to improving Alexa through new language models during its fall event this week by announcing multiple devices and improvements to Alexa. With a newEcho Show 8smart display and a completely new product in theEcho Hubspecifically designed to manage your smart home, Amazon is continuing to innovate in the space. Each of those products comes with faster processors, improved sensors, and better Alexa integration.
Only one of these speakers is still sold in stores.
As for its voice assistant, Amazon previewednew features for Alexato improve users' experience with it. In the past few updates, Amazon has stressed how it is trying to make Alexa more conversational and less robotic. In comparison, Google can’t even provide us with new options for wake words, requiring every user trip over their brand name to issue any command. The hardware that houses Alexa is getting the ability to run more of the digital assistant on device, leading to faster responses and improved privacy. Even before these most recent announcements, Alexa’s faster speed over Google Assistant has been very noticeable.
Google has been slowly removing features from Google Assistant or possibly letting them degrade over time rather than improving the product. Just looking at how itssmart displays and speakers are losing featuresand evensupport on third-party devices, it’s hard to argue that Google may be on the retreat from Amazon rather than competing. Many of Alexa’s improvements that were just announced won’t require you to buy the latest Echo devices, supporting the whole suite ofexcellent Alexa-powered speakers— even OG units from 2014.
Amazon has the final nail for Google’s coffin ready to go
Is it too late for Google Assistant? No, of course not. But the company hasn’t been showing its original AI-powered toolset much attention lately, and if that current trend continues much longer, Alexa will be putting that final nail into Google’s coffin. I would be completely fine with personally going all-in on Amazon’s smart speaker ecosystem if I could have access toYouTube Musicand myGoogle Photos.Yes, I know that Amazon has competing services, but as I said earlier, I am quite invested in Google’s offerings.
Amazon has done a fantastic job of making its Alexa platform very robust with loads of customization options and features. Aside from asking basic questions, controlling smart home devices, and setting timers, tackling more advanced actions like custom routines, skills, blueprints, and more allow users the opportunity to dive deep into the ecosystem to create a personalized experience across the entire system. Meanwhile, Google Assistant is becoming less and less useful due to struggling with basic commands on both mobile and the line-up of aging speakers. If Google doesn’t step it up soon, I might have to switch to Echo products full-time — and I doubt I’ll be alone.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Amazon’s latest smart display offers big improvements in audio quality and Alexa response times. The new sensors will make interacting with the display more intuitive without even talking to it.
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen)
The Amazon Echo Dot with Clock is a normal Echo Dot with — you guessed it — a clock added. The newest generation can show more than just the time, though.
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) is the brand’s best-sounding mini-smart speaker yet. Everything from rock to pop sounds great through the single front-firing driver, and with Alexa onboard, users will be able to ask questions and issue voice commands to control smart home devices throughout the home.
