Voice Technology at CES 2019
The massive tech show at Sin City 👯🎲 is done and dusted, so here are all the products related to the voice industry that deserved a worth mention.
- Google Maps gets Google Assistant
Google Maps will now get the support of Google Assistant on both Android and iOS devices. Users can ask for directions, search for restaurants and ATMs and all the other functionalities that previously required some button pushing.
2. Alexa, Google Assistant and Bixby on Samsung TV
Samsung goes big towards voice technology in CES 2019. Samsung has announced that users can now control their QLED sets with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The user just needs to connect the television sets to their Google Home or Echo device. Bixby, on the other hand, can be used directly using the software pre-installed in the television sets. With Home and Echo devices, you can control the basic functionalities such as volume control and switching the TV ON/OFF, but with Bixby, you get access to some of the more advanced capabilities. It can also be controlled using Samsung TV remote control.
3. Lenovo Smart Clock
Lenovo has launched an 80$ smart clock powered by Google Assistant. It will have a 4-inch, 480×800 resolution touchscreen display. You can check for weather updates, and traffic status apart from being able to control the lights. It will have a 6W speaker, a mute button to turn off the mic and a rear USB port for charging other devices. You can choose from a variety of different sleep sounds which help you gently fall asleep as soon as you say “Good Night”. And the main feature that impressed us the most — it has got no camera!
4. Booking hotels and check into the flights using Google Assistant
Now users can check into their flight just by saying, “Check in to my flight”. The Assistant will pick up the ticket from the synced Gmail account and will allow the user to check in for the flight without having to go over the hassle of entering any sort of confirmation code. Currently, the support is only for United Airlines domestic flights but more airlines are expected to be added soon. It is not a fully automated process as the assistant will walk you through the check-in process but still, it looks like a good user experience.
In addition, travellers can also book hotels using Google Assistant. The bookings will be done by the existing partner of the “Book on Google” integration. This feature will prove quite useful for frequent travellers who hate the hectic process of hotel booking.
5. Kohler’s Intelligent Toilet
CES has always been known for featuring some of the most bizarre techs that companies have to offer. This year was no exception. Kohler launched Numi 2.0 — a toilet seat with Alexa integration built-in.
This intelligent toilet promises to deliver a “fully-immersive experience” with the help of “lighting and audio enhancements”. The toilet has built-in Alexa support to control its various features. The customer can customize the lighting and set the music according to their mood.
It is a part of the Kohler Konnect series which aims to provide a completely unique bath experience. The voice-lightened mirror is manufactured by Verdera while the lighting uses Philips Hue API. Kohler’s PerfectFill bathtub technology allows the customers to preset the temperature and desired depth just by using voice commands. The price for the Numi Intelligent Toilet goes up to a whopping $7,000 while $9,000 for the black variant.
6. Interpreter mode
The new interpreter mode in Google Assistant will act as a real-life translator for 27 different languages. It will help to make a conversation better for two people speaking different languages. It will be rolled out for Google Home and Google Home hub first, smartphones are expected to get the feature later this year.
7. Anker Roav Bolt
Google is now trying to enter into the vehicular segment with Anker Roav Bolt. This device can be used to connect vehicles with Google Assistant to enhance the driving experience. It can be used for navigation, playing music, making calls and for texting while driving. The device plugs into the 12-volt power port of the vehicle and can be connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm Jack. It has two USB ports that can be used for charging other devices. The device will be out in the market by February with a price tag of $49.99.
8. Smarter Homes
Amazon has increased its outreach in the smart home sector as various products were launched at CES powered by Alexa.
Lutron Fan Speed Control has been launched by Caseta which allows the user to control the speed of the fan using Google Assistant or Alexa. The product is going to reach the market by end of March at a retail price of $80.
C by GE smart lighting company announced their new models of smart switches, bulbs, and accessories that can be controlled using Google Assistant and Alexa. They also announced a software update rollout later this year which will bring them on board with Apple Homekit allowing iOS users to control their devices using Siri commands.
The Swedish luxury bedmaker Dux partnered with Stelle to launch a bed with built-in Alexa support. The idea is to combine sleep science with activated voice technology to deliver seamless and effortless bedtime routines. It will be available in three sizes, the retail price for king size bed being $4,950.
9. Asus Lyra Voice Mesh Router
Tech Giants Asus launched a wireless mesh router along with the Alexa Speakers. The router is integrated with 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) along with Bluetooth stereo speakers which can be controlled using Alexa. The speakers can also be used via Bluetooth and also support Spotify Connect. The microphones of the speaker can detect a range of 360-degree far-field voice commands and also has DTS surround sound technology built-in. The Wi-Fi can work in three modes i.e AiMesh router mode, universal Wi-Fi repeater mode or stand-alone router mode. The price of this router cum speaker will be around $219.99
10. Gourmia Smart multicooker
The famous kitchen appliances maker Gourmia launched an 11-in-1 deluxe multicooker which can be controlled using Alexa or Google Assistant and automated by the Gourmia app. This appliance has 11 modes which can be controlled using voice commands. The retail price for this multicooker is around $150.
11. GO: PIANO 88
The famous keyboard maker Roland has launched GO: PIANO 88 with built-in Alexa for voice control. The main purpose of this is to let the pianist focus on their finger movements rather than worrying about the settings. One of its features is to let Alexa play one-half of the keys and also to view the progress over time. The availability and pricing of the product have not yet been disclosed.
Key takeaways
Integration of various voice assistants is steadily becoming the default standard for a wide range of devices. Voice integration is no longer a differentiating factor for any device manufacturer. More and more companies are opting for integrating voice assistants into their hardware.
Another trend we witnessed this year was the integration of both Assistant and Alexa on smart devices. The choice of voice assistant has shifted from the manufacturer to the consumer — a trend that we expect to continue in the future.
CES 2019 was all about the numbers again. Amazon announced that they have now more than 100 million-plus Alexa-enabled devices. The figure was overshadowed by Google, who now have over a billion Assistant-enabled devices — up from 500 million in May last year. The massive number of Android phones that have Google Assistant built-in is the main reason behind this increase. The total number of devices with Alexa integration is now 28,000 from 4,500 brands. Similarly Google Assistant works with 10,000 different home automation devices overall across 1,600 brands.
One thing that became clear at CES was that consumers are increasingly becoming used to the idea of talking to their smart home devices. So if you have got a smart home device that needs voice integration, we can help! 😺
Voiceano is a conversation design studio that crafts voice strategies and designs conversational interfaces for brands. If you feel that your brand needs a voice, then you should definitely grab a drink with us! 🍻😄
