Why smart speakers?
I had thought a while back what would be the start of the next smart revolution. Smart watches (regardless of what Apple PR will tell you) never really took off. And they likely won't, or if they do, it won't be part of this first wave of the next generation. But, I really think that next generation has started and the herald is the smart speaker.
It is an odd thing. It doesn't have a touch screen. It uses that most dreaded of interfaces; voice. And it didn't start off with millions or even thousands of apps. So how? Why?
Well, let's start with, the flood didn't really start until the Echo Dot. And that gives some idea. But it doesn't answer the whole question. As I see it, there are a few reasons:
It is an odd thing. It doesn't have a touch screen. It uses that most dreaded of interfaces; voice. And it didn't start off with millions or even thousands of apps. So how? Why?
Well, let's start with, the flood didn't really start until the Echo Dot. And that gives some idea. But it doesn't answer the whole question. As I see it, there are a few reasons:
- Openness
- Connectivity
- Cost
- Desire
- Practicality
Openness and connectivity go hand in hand. Back when I talked about this last I had pointed out that a big problem with smart watches was being tied to an ecosystem. An Apple Watch wouldn't even work without an iPhone originally and only the latest ones when it was first released. The state today isn't much better. With something trying to lock you into an ecosystem, it also inherently means a lack of connectivity.
Alexa led the charge here though, and they didn't really have a successful enough smartphone eco system to tie you into. So, it worked with both Android and iPhone. It had an open SDK and quickly became able to integrate and work with other services. Usually smart devices and their services, but other things as well. And through this, their connectivity solved one of the other things I had always said the next wave needed to; it needed to bring devices together to make them smarter and even more useful.
Some quick examples; I can find my smart phone with my Google Home Mini. It makes my speaker AND my phone "smarter" than either are on their own. I can adjust my smart thermostat or smart lights without either a light switch or even fumbling for a phone. With some added apps I can even have a single command process multiple commands. Automatically my speaker and lights are smarter than they were on their own, or even with my phone.
THIS is exactly what I saw was needed for a next generation technology. Few things will ever even have the chance to be as ubiquitous as a smart phone. Just about everything else is much more niche. What will drive people to replace the dumb versions with smart versions of those other things is not going to be what that device can do on it's own. It will because of the potential it can achieve in combination with other things.
I have no use for a watch with apps. I'm not a watch person. But, interestingly, if a smart watch could integrate and improve other things I AM interested in, I would be much more likely to buy one. For instance, let's say I'm interested in smart home security systems. If my watch could double as an access to arm and disarm my home security system. Now I don't need another fob or other device. My watch and smart system are improved. Let's say my watch can determine which group of smart lights I'm closest to and can automatically illuminate and turn out lights as I enter and leave rooms.
Smart speakers are currently the only smart tech really open to working with any solution to make it smarter. But, hopefully others will see how the openness of these devices is a key player in their success. People aren't necessarily buying them because they want a voice controlled assistant on a speaker. Many are buying them either in conjunction with or because they already own other smart things it works with. In other words, the openness is driving MORE sales, not less.
It is important to note, one of the equally important things is not just that you can openly develop for these devices. But, also that many other smart device vendors are allowing these devices to communicate with them, and even writing up the skills to do so. But, it is the bi-directional openness which is key.
Cost is another point. The smaller speakers can be acquired for a reasonable price. Far less than half the cost of a half decent smart watch. For the same cost as a smart watch you could cover the places you'd want to use it 95% of the time in most cases. And the far field mic arrays combined with the fact that you're not talking to these assistants on your wrist out in public means that you're not shouting your commands 20 times out in public. This has helped immensely I think. Both the accuracy and the fact that it primarily used in the privacy of your own home.
Desire is pretty simple. Just about every household has a half dozen blue tooth speakers lying around. Most are battery powered and people forget to charge them. If you like music, these are always plugged in and ready. Even better, if you use something like Spotify, you don't even need another device once the account is linked. And multi-speaker/room audio is pretty freakin' amazing. I think a lot people could justify buying one or two of the smaller devices like the Dot or Home Mini just for that purpose.
Practicality... well, I think that is already covered. You can probably buy a better sounding BT speaker for the same price. But a wall plugged one, which sounds better, integrates directly with services like Spotify and multi-room audio? Now, competition is getting slimmer. Add in even the remotest desire to be able to make use of the smart functionality later and suddenly there isn't really a question. These are practical devices on their own. They are even more practical when combined with supported smart devices. And, the companies behind them are all still just pouring more into these little things.
Which, I suppose brings me to the next point. Upgrades. Normally, a product is only truly upgradeable via RARE firmware updates in some RARE cases or much more likely, by buying a new physical product. There are limitations, like the speaker you bought today will never have a better tweeter or different input ports. But, the assistant service is a cloud service. As a result, the devices get smarter, automatically, as the service is updated. And for the time being that is reasonably frequent.
Time will tell, but I think this is the beginning of that next wave. I think CES this year will show that the big tech companies think so as well. But then, they are wrong 9 times out of 10... but, they get it right every once in a while.
THIS is exactly what I saw was needed for a next generation technology. Few things will ever even have the chance to be as ubiquitous as a smart phone. Just about everything else is much more niche. What will drive people to replace the dumb versions with smart versions of those other things is not going to be what that device can do on it's own. It will because of the potential it can achieve in combination with other things.
I have no use for a watch with apps. I'm not a watch person. But, interestingly, if a smart watch could integrate and improve other things I AM interested in, I would be much more likely to buy one. For instance, let's say I'm interested in smart home security systems. If my watch could double as an access to arm and disarm my home security system. Now I don't need another fob or other device. My watch and smart system are improved. Let's say my watch can determine which group of smart lights I'm closest to and can automatically illuminate and turn out lights as I enter and leave rooms.
Smart speakers are currently the only smart tech really open to working with any solution to make it smarter. But, hopefully others will see how the openness of these devices is a key player in their success. People aren't necessarily buying them because they want a voice controlled assistant on a speaker. Many are buying them either in conjunction with or because they already own other smart things it works with. In other words, the openness is driving MORE sales, not less.
It is important to note, one of the equally important things is not just that you can openly develop for these devices. But, also that many other smart device vendors are allowing these devices to communicate with them, and even writing up the skills to do so. But, it is the bi-directional openness which is key.
Cost is another point. The smaller speakers can be acquired for a reasonable price. Far less than half the cost of a half decent smart watch. For the same cost as a smart watch you could cover the places you'd want to use it 95% of the time in most cases. And the far field mic arrays combined with the fact that you're not talking to these assistants on your wrist out in public means that you're not shouting your commands 20 times out in public. This has helped immensely I think. Both the accuracy and the fact that it primarily used in the privacy of your own home.
Desire is pretty simple. Just about every household has a half dozen blue tooth speakers lying around. Most are battery powered and people forget to charge them. If you like music, these are always plugged in and ready. Even better, if you use something like Spotify, you don't even need another device once the account is linked. And multi-speaker/room audio is pretty freakin' amazing. I think a lot people could justify buying one or two of the smaller devices like the Dot or Home Mini just for that purpose.
Practicality... well, I think that is already covered. You can probably buy a better sounding BT speaker for the same price. But a wall plugged one, which sounds better, integrates directly with services like Spotify and multi-room audio? Now, competition is getting slimmer. Add in even the remotest desire to be able to make use of the smart functionality later and suddenly there isn't really a question. These are practical devices on their own. They are even more practical when combined with supported smart devices. And, the companies behind them are all still just pouring more into these little things.
Which, I suppose brings me to the next point. Upgrades. Normally, a product is only truly upgradeable via RARE firmware updates in some RARE cases or much more likely, by buying a new physical product. There are limitations, like the speaker you bought today will never have a better tweeter or different input ports. But, the assistant service is a cloud service. As a result, the devices get smarter, automatically, as the service is updated. And for the time being that is reasonably frequent.
Time will tell, but I think this is the beginning of that next wave. I think CES this year will show that the big tech companies think so as well. But then, they are wrong 9 times out of 10... but, they get it right every once in a while.
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