There is quite a battle going on right now. A battle between smart speakers and home assistants, which is now in full swing. For Google and Amazon, gaming and fun will help provide a competitive edge.
In September, Amazon introduced Echo Buttons, enabling families to play Alexa-based games together. on October 24, Google announced a collection of games for families and kids: “[T]he Google Assistant now has more than 50 new games, activities and stories designed for families with kids.”
Games for Google Assistant are available for all Home devices, smartphones, and even devices where the Assistant is present. As a platform, Google wants to compete a with Amazon across more devices than its competitor.
Google gave the Assistant the ability to personalize it for kids under 13. Home devices can recognize up to six different voices. Because of this, kids will be able to use the same devices as their parents, but the Assistant will recognize the child’s voice and offer different options and experiences.
Parental controls are being powered by something called “Family Link,” which is an app that gives parents the ability to manage their kids’ Android device experiences.