Google has just announced that itis now going to open up its Google Home “Conversation Actions” to 3rd-party app developers. This will allow users new and fancy ways to utilise their voice-activated speaker assistant.
This 3rd-part support will only be fully opened up early next year. However, Google has already been working closely with some other partners for quite awhile now.
Amazon Alexa is one of the most powerful smart home systems in the market right now, and probably Google’s biggest competitor. Nevertheless, it appears that Google is trying to take a whole different course of action compared to the Amazon Echo and the Echo Dot speakers. We hope this means newer and more innovative improvements over time.
The Difference
Alexa has an opt-in user experience that lets consumer download the voice-activated “Skills” when they wish to increase the device’s abilities, but Google Home will allow all third-party functions to become available to its users when they become ready.
Google actually acts as a host that will usher you to different “Actions” from each and every developer. Hence, you would probably have to go to Google’s Chat Bot and say Uber’s “…” to use their features. This will allow each service to better serve different types of conversations.
Google has your best intentions at heart, but there are some complications. If users don’t select Actions manually, how is it possible that Google Home users will be able to know what functions are actually offered? Furthermore, a question we have to ask if how will Google categorise what keywords do we need to associated things with different kinds of brands and services?
With the advent of technology such as Google Home and Alexa, it’s an exciting new age for smart home technology and although the convenience is more than welcome, we hope it doesn’t come at a hefty cost, be it in terms of choice or transparency.
About the Aut
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A Dentist-To-Be Dabbling in Tech Journalism:
Zayne is a writer who reports for VR-Zone, Stuff Singapore and The New Paper on all things tech-related. Follow this geek on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!
