Google Assistant Is Coming to Smart Displays, Starting with Lenovo

With Google's expansive booth set on the CES floor, we'd already got the hint that the search giant was planning something big. Google has today announced that the Google Assistant is gear up to have on the Amazon Echo Show and Spot with its own set of 'Smart Displays' – as the search giant likes to call them.

The Rise of Smart Displays

Ever since Amazon added a screen to their coveted Alexa-powered speakers, we had been waiting for Google to follow conform. Information technology was expected sooner or later on, cheers to the heating upwards rivalry between two of the biggest giants in the smart speaker/banana ecosystem. We've seen both Google Assistant and Alexa find its manner into many unlike pieces of hardware.

But, information technology seems that the company pulled a fast one on u.s.a. past not adding a screen to its Google Home speaker. It has gone 1 step further and debuted an ecosystem of touchscreen devices that'll benefit from Google Assitant's smarts. Google likes to phone call them 'Smart Displays' and information technology has already got a bunch of partners, such as JBL, Lenovo, LG, and Sony, on board.

Not An Android Tablet!

If you lot're thinking that Google has just given us Android tablets with Google Assistant on lath, well y'all're gravely mistaken. The smart displays surely bring along nigh of the company's services, such as video calling using Duo, video streaming via YouTube, Google Photos, and a lot more.

The homescreen of the smart displays will resemble that of Google Now, which means it volition show you everything from the conditions forecast, and calendar appointments to traffic notification before you get out for work and other updates. You'll exist able to enquire Google Assistant questions but like you did before, simply you at present as well take a screen to interact with. The smart displays will now provide yous an even intuitive user experience.

As for the underlying platform on smart displays, it is existence said that Google Assistant is running atop the company's 'Android Things' IoT platform. It is a skinned version of Android, designed especially for the Internet of Things devices. The platform is currently in developer preview, but the smart displays might be the required heave it needs to observe a spot among hardware makers.

Lenovo Is Alee of Others

Just moments afterward Google'south declaration, Lenovo has shown off their first-ever Smart Display that's powered by Google Banana'due south smarts. The Lenovo Smart Display is basically a trimmed-downwardly and minimalistic version of Amazon's Echo Prove. It looks gorgeous and I am completely sold on Google's activeness plan for the AI assistant hither.

Lenovo's Smart Display features two variants, with large 8-inch and x-inch screens and is backed past the newly announced Qualcomm Habitation Hub platform. It's powered by Qualcomm SDA 624 SoC, which integrates everything from CPU, GPU and DSP to robust Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options.

Lenovo Smart Brandish'south 8-inch variant volition retail at $199.99 whereas the larger 10-inch variant volition require you shell out $l bucks in a higher place that. The Chinese giant isn't but offering you different screen sizes but two colour options, namely natural bamboo and soft greyness, besides. They're expected to become available for purchase in early summertime.

This is only one of the many Google Assistant-backed smart display'south that will exist launched in the coming weeks. It is a massive leap for Google Assistant who'll non be giving its curvation-rival an even tougher contest in the smart speaker (with a screen) market place.

Echo Show, you better be beware now! There's a new screen in town and it's much more robust and smarter than y'all. What do y'all recall about this? Volition Google'southward smart displays exist able to replace the Amazon Echo Bear witness and Spot'due south? Share your opinion downwards below.