In 2017 we saw the smart assistant battle between Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Google Assistant begin in proper with official launches here in Canada. The two tech giants are squaring off and racing to see which of the two smart assistants will take over the majority of homes in the coming years, and at CES 2018, the two clashed in earnest throughout the week.
At CES 2017, Amazon came out on top, but who will it be this year?
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Partnerships
At CES 2018, you couldn’t walk the show floor for more than 30 seconds without seeing countless smart assistant-embedded devices, and the amount of partnerships both Amazon and Google have made will shock you.
As of January, 2018, Amazon Alexa is currently embedded in roughly 4,000 devices from 1,200 brands, while Google Assistant is on 1,500 devices from about 225 brands. Google may have had the biggest booth, but there’s no denying the countless Alexa-compatible devices everywhere you look.
Amazon’s head start into the market is certainly paying off with more than five times the brand partnerships. While a report from 360i revealed that Google Home is six times more likely to answer a question than Alexa, the sheer amount of devices Alexa is inside of give Amazon a plenty of time to catch up.
Edge – Amazon
Smart home devices
Whether it’s your light bulbs, TV, refrigerator, or door, smart assistants have grown exponentially the last few years by proving that the future resides in making your home as smart as possible.
There is no clear winner in the smart home department. Both Alexa and Google Assistant can be found on TVs, whether they be from Sony, LG, or any of the other home entertainment manufacturers, and users will have plenty of options between the two smart assistants when purchasing a new appliance.
The reality of the situation is that many companies are now opting to support both. TiVo, for instance, announced support for both Google Assistant and Alexa for its DVRs in the U.S. Plus, whoever said you can’t use both? Alexa may control your microwave and oven, but you could be using Google Assistant for your TV and speakers.
Edge – Tie
Wearables, headphones, and smartphones
Amazon had a head start in the smart phone department, but when it comes to getting Alexa software on wearables such as smartwatches, headphones, and smartphones, the tech giant has been relatively late to the party.
In order to catch up, Amazon announced its new Alexa Mobile Accessory Kit that will make it easier for developers to bring Alexa to on-the-go devices like smartwatches, headphones, fitness devices, etc. Amazon says that OEMs such as Bose, Jabra, and Bowers and Wilkins are already developing Alexa-equipped devices, giving companies like Jabra devices with both Google Assistant, and now Alexa, available.
This is where Google’s native advantage of the Android platform comes in hand. Google has now seen two successful Pixel phone device launches, and a whole line of Google Assistant-ready Pixel devices that range from wireless headphones to a variety of laptops. Amazon still has to overcome the advantage Google has from residing in Android phones, as well as in calendars and email. And when Applefinally brings Siri into the fight, it’ll have the same advantage.
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