Amazon continues to dominate the U.S. smart speaker market, with a 70% market share, and the most popular activity among smart speaker owners is playing music, followed by asking their virtual assistants questions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in smartphones, with Google and Apple integrating AI features into their devices, including camera enhancements, adaptive features, and smart suggestions, while AI-powered generative chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Bard are challenging traditional digital assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. The AI revolution is just beginning, with more AI and machine learning features expected to come to market in the future.
Amazon is preparing for its annual fall product announcements, with rumors suggesting big AI-driven changes for Alexa and a shake-up in its devices and services division, including the departure of hardware boss Dave Limp and the potential replacement by Microsoft's Panos Panay. Last year, Amazon introduced various new products, and while this year's event may be more muted, surprises are still expected. Additionally, Amazon is focusing on the smart home integration of its Fire TVs and Alexa, and it plans to cut down on the number of in-house brands it offers on its marketplace.
Amazon has unveiled a new Alexa voice assistant, powered by its Alexa large language model, that can understand conversational phrases, interpret context more effectively, and complete multiple requests from one command, marking a significant advancement in voice assistant technology.
At its annual hardware event, Amazon announced Explore With Alexa, a kid-friendly version of its chatbot that provides educational content and games, along with new kid-friendly devices like the Echo Pop Kids smart speaker and Fire Kids tablets.
Amazon is introducing Map View, a new feature in the Alexa mobile app that allows users to create a digital map of their house and control connected devices.
Amazon is considering introducing subscription fees for Alexa's advanced AI features in the future, according to Dave Limp, SVP of devices and services at Amazon, who stated that Alexa would have to be "remarkable" before such charges are implemented.
Google is incorporating AI technology to help users set up automations in their smart homes, condensing notifications into summaries and suggesting automations based on recognized events.
Google may initially limit the new version of Google Assistant infused with AI from Google's Bard generative AI to the Pixel 8 series and possibly the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 series, with a staged rollout to other devices expected in the coming months.
