Australia has got its first personal assistant app, as Google Home is launched Down Under. The voice-controlled technology is one of a kind in the country at the moment. However, it will soon have competition from Apple HomePod, while Amazon Echo’s release date may soon get announced.
Google Home in Australia has the option to select the local tongue, as it sounds like Google Assistant in Aussie accent. According to Google product manager Raunaq Shah, the app has been especially trained to understand the Australian accent. It also understands local slangs like “servo” and brekkie.”
Shah said that people would be able to enjoy Google Home with Australian flavor. The Australian, however, wonders if the Google app really knows the native way of speaking, or its understanding is limited to understanding a few local phrases.
This is the first time a voice-controlled personal assistant is going on sale in Australia. Google Home will enjoy monopoly in the business at the moment. However, it will soon be challenged by Apple HomePod, which is expected to launch in December this year. Amazon, on the other hand, is yet to announce its release date in Australia.
Amazon Prime Video was recently launched in Australia. The company talked about its future plans for Australian customers in a recent statement, according to the Business Insider.
Amazon Echo is a highly successful product. [Image by David Becker/Getty Images]
“The next step is to bring a retail offering to Australia, and we are making those plans now.”
Google Home Vs Apple HomePod Vs Amazon Echo
Apple comes with a more expensive product. While it has not been revealed how much it’s going to cost in Australia, it is expected that HomePod will come for AU$465. Google Home, on the contrary, is much cheaper. It is sold at AU$199. In the U.S., the price for Apple HomePod is set at $349. This is much more expensive than Google Home ($130) and Echo ($180).
Echo happens to be a highly successful product. The other two must give a tough competition to Amazon. Apple promises to come up with distortion-free sound with HomePod. While Apple refuses to compare its product with Google Home and Amazon Echo, it has a lot in common with the other two, according to CNET.
Apple HomePod is going to be launched in Australia in December 2017. [Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
Unlike its rivals, Google Home’s appearance can be customized. It can be connected to TV with Chromecast. Video streaming websites like Netflix and YouTube can be controlled with it.
Echo’s strength, on the other hand, lies in its simplicity. With Alexa, controlling a smart home becomes quite easy. It has also partnered with Domino’s and Uber in the U.S. that makes it highly convenient for the buyer to order a pizza or call a cab. Australian buyers will be eager to see if Echo brings such facilities to the country.