A race has begun between the major home assistant product providers Amazon and Google to be the first to add phone calls to their devices. The importance of this race comes in the form of the potential of new customers.
In the United States, nearly 50% percent of households currently have home phone service, according to a study performed by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. If even a portion of these consumers decides to switch to a home Assistant device simply because of convenience, this could mean a drastic bump in sales to any of the tech companies offering home assistant products. It could mean the difference between capturing that coveted market dominance or not.
Both companies, Amazon and Google, notably have shown the willingness to throw the full weight of their massive available finances to capture the majority of consumers in a particular market space making this race all the more interesting.
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Amazon
Amazon was first to market in the home assistant front with the release of the Amazon Echo. Initially selling well the product has seen steady sales since. This success has enabled Amazon to release two other home assistant devices the Amazon Echo Dot and Echo Tap.
Attempting another first the company seemingly has the lead on adding phone calling capability to its home assistant devices. According to Recode, Amazon already has plans to release devices with calling functionality later this year. Although Amazon has yet to confirm these plans may very well be true.
Google has also seen the success of their own home assistant product, The Google Home. Releasing in late 2016 the smart device has been able to give Google a needed presence in the space.
Well received by consumers the product has garnered favorable reviews by the major tech publications. In regards to the addition of voice calls to their home assistant devices, Google is still silent on the matter. However, The Wall Street Journal has recently reported that the tech giant is heavily considering implement the feature. However, with Amazon’s progress in the department, it is unlikely that Google will not push ahead and add the feature.
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One thing that is left unmentioned is the question of other competitors. Although Google and Amazon have already established a foothold in this segment, another company could come in and steal the spotlight. So far no other major company has launched a home assistant product.
There is, however, one company that comes to mind that could be a major contender in this market. That company being Apple with its loyal customer base, AI assistant Siri, and well crafted operating system does have all the factors to make a big impact. We all remember how Apple quickly dominated the smartwatch market even after arriving late.
Will the first company to add a phone calling feature to their home assistant devices capture market share? Well, the verdict is still out on that, however, it will undoubtedly be a big advantage for the company.
With these two products so evenly match an advantage like this one is all the more important for these competing tech giants.
