After years of intense rivalry, Google Assistant and Alexa have finally found a way to cooperate.
Harman has just unveiled new additions to its JBL Authentics speaker lineup, which seamlessly integrate both Google Assistant and Alexa. These devices mark the first of their kind in the market. The Authentics 200, Authentics 300, and Authentics 500, boasting features like automatic self-tuning, Bluetooth connectivity, and multiroom playback, will be hitting the shelves on September 17.
For a long time, Google had been reluctant to allow manufacturers (except Sonos) to create smart devices that featured both Google Assistant and Alexa. This stance had prompted Amazon to increase pressure on Google, not necessarily driven by altruistic motives, but rather to level what it perceived as an unfair playing field.
Although Alexa had achieved a respectable install base of around 500 million devices by early this year, Google had a significant advantage with Google Assistant being the default assistant on Android smartphones, with over 1 billion devices incorporating it in 2019. This preferential treatment even led to an EU antitrust investigation.
In 2019, Amazon initiated the Voice Interoperability Initiative, a program aimed at ensuring that voice-enabled products such as smart speakers, smartphones, and smart displays would allow users to choose among multiple voice assistants. Google, along with Samsung and Apple, initially declined to join this initiative. However, Google has now changed its stance.
Marissa Chacko, Director of Product Management for Google Assistant, explained this shift in an email interview, downplaying the contentious history between Amazon and Google. In essence, she stated that the aim was to make it easier for users to access both voice services simultaneously, emphasizing that it wasn’t about compensating for deficiencies but providing users with a choice.
On the new JBL Authentics speakers, Google Assistant and Alexa will seamlessly coexist. Users can, for example, ask Alexa to set a timer and then request Google Assistant to stop it when it goes off, and vice versa. This functionality is made possible by Amazon’s Universal Device Commands (UDC), driven by the Multi-Agent Experience Toolkit born out of the Voice Interoperability Initiative. With UDC, users can ask either assistant to halt specific tasks such as music playback, timers, reminders, and alarms, without having to remember which assistant initiated the request or asking for the request to be transferred.
Crucially, the two assistants won’t talk over each other. The Authentics speakers will automatically adjust the “audio focus” at the appropriate moment to prevent conflicts, ensuring a smooth user experience.
During beta trials, both Amazon and Google tested UDC, and according to Aaron Rubenson, VP of Alexa, customers might prefer to access Alexa and Google Assistant for their respective Amazon and Google services. He cited examples like asking Google Assistant for a substitute for milk and then asking Alexa to make the purchase on Amazon.com or receiving an Amazon package delivery notification from Alexa and then asking Google Assistant to add a reminder about the delivery to your Google Calendar.
Surprisingly, Amazon and Google don’t seem concerned about reduced engagement with either Google Assistant or Alexa now that both are available on a single device. They view the assistants as complementary rather than competitive, emphasizing that their goal is to provide a seamless experience for customers.
However, it’s worth noting that the smart speaker market has been in decline, with shipments decreasing by 30% in Q1 2023, marking the sixth consecutive quarterly dip. Additionally, a survey by UpCity showed that only half of U.S. consumers use voice search daily.
These shifting priorities may be partly due to the challenges of monetizing voice assistants. For example, Amazon reportedly fell far short of its $5 million target by earning less than $2 million on Alexa apps in 2019.
The collaboration between Harman and Amazon may be a one-time occurrence. Marissa Chacko didn’t commit to future integrations of Google Assistant and Alexa, suggesting that the decision would depend on how users respond to this integration.
In summary, the integration of Google Assistant and Alexa on the JBL Authentics speakers represents a temporary alliance rather than a lasting truce between Amazon and Google.
