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When it comes to smart home products, it can be tough to for a regular user determine which is right for them. Fortunately this week, researchers made things easier for the rest of us by putting Google Home up against the Amazon Echo using a comprehensive 3000-question test. As it turns out, Google Home has quite the edge.
The 3000-question test was performed by the firm 360i. Upon completion, it was discovered that Google Home is six times more likely to give relevant answers to questions compared to the Amazon Echo. However, the Echo does excel when it comes to helping users shop, which isn't too surprising.
Although the test shows that Google has a distinct edge at successfully answering user questions, it does not reveal the test conditions. Most notably we don’t know what questions were asked, how they were asked or how many people did the testing. It’s possible that both devices require different phrasing, in which case there might be questions Amazon’s Echo can understand that Google Home cannot. Google still retains the upper hand in the question test as it has access to its Knowledge Graph, a wealth of information that Google uses to enhance its search engine. Amazon lacks access to this knowledge base through its use of Bing.
Amazon's Echo is still a powerful home assistant despite releasing earlier and currently controls 70% of the market as well as hosting a range of third party support from major manufacturers. Google Home currently lacks this with its vastly fewer smart home control chips. Amazon also outclasses the speed of Google Home, as the latter is restricted by its reliance on IFTTT and can vary in the length of time between request and execution.
Amazon has been cooperating with other companies to expand its list of skills for the Echo, with Google ultimately refusing to add support out of its current best interests. The search giant often has its own agenda, even showing a significant lack of Windows 10 app support.
Google Home might have won the pop-quiz but hopefully 360i will give more details into its tests, allowing us to formulate a clearer picture as to what it all means.
KitGuru Says: Competition breeds innovation and with more and more entries into the home assistant market, I can see them getting smarter each time. Which has been your favourite voice assistant so far?
Test sponsored by Google perchance?
Not surprising. The Google Home and the Echo are very different yet constantly compared. Had the Echo since 2014 with the private launch and now several Google Homes (GH).
The Echo has commands you memorize. So when I purchased I went through most of the commands and played with it a few hours. The GH does not have commands but instead you just talk naturally to it. The GH knows people apart from their voice versus the Echo has a command. The Echo has passcodes versus the GH just knows people apart from their voices.
We now have the single Echo and several Google Homes. The Echo remained my toy as my family was not motivated to learn the commands. The GHs are well integreated into our family.
The lower friction of the GH makes a huge difference.