Google Assistant Coming to Third-Party Devices

In a noteworthy announcement this morning, Google said that Google Assistant would be coming to several electronic devices from several manufacturers. Here are some of the most important takeaways from the release:

Google Assistant Integration

At the Google I/O developer conference, Google stated that there would be wide Google Assistant integration with third-party hardware. It looks like that is coming to fruition now. In the past, Google’s promises of widespread adoption of technology have never been realized. This time might be different. Eric Schmitd’s promises of Android on the majority of TV sets is one example of some of Google’s promises.

Smart home acceleration

The smart home and Internet of Things are the future. Thanks in part to the competition between Amazon and Google, the move towards homes full of smart appliances and gadgets looks to be accelerating. In the above announcement, you will be able to control the next ware of LG home appliances using Google Assistant.

Intensifying competition

There is a land grab going on in the virtual assistant and smart home space. Amazon has a big lead on Google, but it looks like the intensifying battle will stay a two-horse race for the foreseeable future. Although Apple will sell the HomePod shortly, it is a Siri-powered speaker and less of a home automation hub.

We still don’t know how well this vast ecosystem of appliances and devices will work with these virtual assistants. Goolge Assistant now has more than 70 automation partners that are compatible with the service. The key to success will be the simplicity and usability of all these devices.