Google Could Be Working on a Rival for the Amazon Echo

Amazon’s Echo is certainly a useful little gadget, as it is capable of voice interaction and is able to create to-do lists, playback your favorite music and provide useful information regarding traffic and weather. However, rumours indicate that Google might actually be working on its own version of this popular wireless speaker, a version that could potentially provide even more useful features at a similar price. Even though Google has not replied to inquiries about an Echo rival at the time of writing, it would certainly make sense for the company to produce such a device, particularly since it already owns all of the necessary tools to do so. Experts seem to agree as well, as a Moor Insights & Strategy analyst named Patrick Moorhead has stated the following:

“Google has all the capabilities that Amazon Echo has. However, Google’s been focused on smartphones and tablets right now. “I believe Google will build a plugged-in device that does what Echo can do — and more.”

Moreover, another analyst named Ezra Gottheil has brought up an interesting topic: if people are already used to controlling their mobile devices using voice commands, it probably makes sense for them to do the same with other gadgets.

“Why not be able to do that when your hands are full of food or baby or puppy? Whatever Google builds will have to be better than Echo, but I don’t think that will be hard. Google’s current voice-based product, Google Voice Search, is available in a bunch of languages, while Echo is English-only. Echo does interface with Gmail but I would be surprised if Google can’t come up with deeper integration.”

Obviously, creating a rival for the Echo and selling it successfully will give Google an even better opportunity to learn more about its users, especially since the device would operate out of its owners’ homes at all times. Would you buy a smart wireless speaker developed by Google?