For the second time in less than six months, it looks like Google is going to be revamping the online Google Store. A report from Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources within Google, suggests that the revamp will have Google Assistant front-and-center in the redesign where Google will sell their devices and those of sister Alphabet companies like Nest.
The move is in response to Amazon and their own digital assistant, Amazon Alexa. Amazon had a two year start on Google when it came to personal AI-driven assistants, with Amazon still holding an estimated 68% market share with their Amazon Echo devices compared to the 25% for Google with Google Home. The disparity has the Mountain View company worried and they are going all out to meet Amazon head on in the space.
The first glimpse we have seen of this new marketing campaign and efforts around Google Assistant came this week in Las Vegas. It was nearly impossible to be in the city or at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) without seeing Google and, more specifically, adverts for Google Assistant. Dozens of new devices were announced this week that will have Google’s assistant embedded which will help it close the gap with Amazon. Further, Google will be adding the ability to make purchases through Assistant and Google Home easier for users over the course of this year. This retail element is where Amazon has perhaps its biggest advantage over Google.
Google’s long term play is to have one assistant across all your devices, regardless of platform, that interacts with your other devices and smart home (IoT) solutions. The company is working closely with their long time partners to provide customized solutions to meet those objectives.
Regardless of if you prefer Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, 2018 is shaping up to be a titanic battle between the companies and their assistants. Ultimately this should lead to greater innovation which will lead to improved customer experiences on both platforms.
