Google has quietly introduced that it is ended software program assist for third-party sensible shows from Lenovo, JBL and LG – and the transfer is one other nail within the coffin of its present voice Assistant.
As noticed by 9to5Google (opens in new tab), Google states on a support page (opens in new tab) for its Duo video-calling service (now Google Meet) that it “now not offers software program updates” for 5 third-party sensible shows.
These shows are the Lenovo Sensible Show (7in, 8in and 10in variations), the JBL Hyperlink View, and the ridiculously-named LG Xboom AI ThinQ WK9 Sensible Show. Should you personal any of these gadgets, which provide voice management from Google Assistant, then the shortage of software program assist “might affect the standard of video calls and conferences”, Google says.
Extra broadly, this determination successfully kills the idea of Assistant-powered sensible shows, that are successfully sensible audio system with touchscreens. Solely the Google Subsequent Hub and Nest Hub Max stay as fully-supported Google sensible shows – and up to date occasions counsel the writing is on the wall for these.
Google’s first Assistant-powered sensible shows arrived again in 2018, however we have not seen any new ones for over two years. This information additionally follows different associated cuts, like Google ending assist for the Nest Dropcam, or the search large’s gradual destruction of Fitbit.
These 5 sensible shows will proceed to work in the intervening time, and we have requested Google to substantiate precisely how the shortage of ongoing software program assist will have an effect on them. However the information seems to be one other nail within the coffin of the present incarnation of the Google Assistant, on condition that CNBC (opens in new tab) has individually reported that the search large is “reorganizing its Assistant staff to focus extra on Bard”.
Google Bard is an AI-powered assistant that works in a lot the identical approach as ChatGPT – and whereas it does not natively assist voice management, it seems to be a greater future guess than something powered by the more and more uncared for Google Assistant.
Evaluation: AI chatbots are the brand new voice assistants
The demise of third-party Google sensible shows is simply one other piece of proof that voice assistants as we all know them are over – and never simply the Google Assistant.
Final yr, Business Insider (opens in new tab) reported that Amazon was “gutting its voice assistant”, Alexa, as a result of it was on monitor to lose the corporate $10 billion. Google has equally failed to seek out methods generate profits from its Assistant, and processing all of our voice instructions additionally comes at a hefty value.
Whereas it is just a little too early for the Assistant to take its spot within the increasingly-crowded Google Graveyard (opens in new tab), the voice-powered sidekick could be very a lot in a state of abeyance. And it is clear that Google Bard is now the corporate’s darling, which is comprehensible given the fast advances made by ChatGPT.
Maybe much more damaging for Google is the affect this has on its status as a dependable {hardware} model. Past its Pixel sequence, Google’s merchandise seemingly solely having a shelf-life of some years earlier than dwindling software program assist leaves them deserted and headed in direction of an analogous destiny as Fitbit.
So whereas the Google Assistant will proceed to stay on inside gadgets like the most effective Android telephones, it is clear we’re coming into a transition interval between current-gen voice assistants (together with Alexa and Siri) and AI chatbots. And whereas that performs out, it is going to be laborious to suggest shopping for any product primarily for its Google Assistant powers.