Google to build Amazon's Echo Show Competition
The flying rumor is that Google is building a tabletop smart screen for video calling and more, which will compete with Amazon's Echo Show. The device is expected to help Google keep up the race for the smart home market.
Amazon just revealed a range of new Echos, as Facebook continues to work on its codename "Aloha" video calling screen. Media reports also suggest that the Google device has been internally codenamed "Manhattan".
It is expected to feature similar screen size as 7-inch Eco Show, and will offer YouTube, Google Assistant, Google Photos and calling. Moreover, it will so act as a hub that controls Nest and smart home devices.
It's another way to get Google Assistant into people's homes, which Google wants to become the voice operating system for your life. It's a vector for Google's video chat apps like Duo and Hangouts. The tabletop form factor could be popular with kids and seniors who might be less comfortable with a phone or traditional computer.
Reports also say that the Manhattan might be released by end of 2017, or by early 2018. According to TechCrunch, the device will run on Android, making it easier for third-parties to build apps for it. One app the team is particularly interested in seeing run on the device is Netflix, though that's not confirmed yet.
It's unclear what the price of the device will be or what exactly it will look like. Even though Google has not any official comment on the news, but the tech giant is holding a hardware event on October 4th. Well, we are not sure if they will share any information on the device.
The availability of YouTube on Manhattan might explain why it was recently pulled off the Echo Show. Amazon had told The Verge "Google has chosen to no longer make YouTube available on Echo Show, without explanation and without notification to customers. There is no technical reason for that decision".
Google had responded that "Amazon's implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates our terms of service, creating a broken user experience".The new device could allow Google to become the center of people's growing array of smart home devices.
