Google has announced new features and devices to enable broader Google Assistant application in the smart home context, including home entertainment and kitchen.
Google has announced new features and devices to enable broader Google Assistant application in the smart home context, including home entertainment and kitchen.
Lenovo has created a 4-inch touchscreen device called Smart Clock, a Google Assistant-powered Smart Display device designed to be placed by the bed. It can show general information, wake the user up with the screen changing the brightness and animations, and control smart home devices.
Whirlpool has introduced the Kitchen Aid Smart Display with Google Assistant built-in. The 10-inch water-resistant screen device features Yummly recipe guidance and smart home device control functionality.
Google has also made it official that the Assistant will land on the
Sonos One and Sonos Beam speakers soon, which will finally make Sonos speakers the first ones supporting both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on the market.
Home entertainment is another area that Google is pushing hard. The company will let Google Assistant work with Samsung TVs and bring Google Assistant into DISH’s Hopper receivers and Android TV devices made by companies like Sony, Philips, Xiaomi and Hisense.
Google Assistant now works with over 1,600 home automation brands and more than 10,000 devices, according to Google. New devices and services supporting the Assistant were announced at CES, including McAfee’s Secure Home Platform, LeakSmart Leak and Flood Protection, Flo by Moen, Orbit’s B-Hyve, Rheem’s Econet Smart Thermostat and Instant Pot’s Smart WiFi Programmable Pressure Cooker.
Partly Google Assistant-powered devices
Google has also unveiled a new platform called Google Assistant Connect for third-party developers. The idea is to allow device manufacturers to offer other kinds of gadgets working with Google Assistant.
At CES, Google presented an E Ink display device, which shows weather and commute information obtained from the Assistant, but it does not function like a fully powered smart display speaker. Device manufacturers can create devices that only have some Assistant features without adopting full-spec smart speaker parts such as microphones and speakers.
Google promised to share more details of Google Assistant Connect in the near future.