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Sony’s new Google Assistant-powered speaker will take on Google Home and Amazon Echo
Yesterday, Google announced at IFA in Berlin that its Assistant will soon expand to more third-party speakers. Only a day later, one of them has already been revealed by Sony. The company took the wraps off the LF-S50G, which offers a lot of the same functionalities found on the Google Home and other similar devices.
The Assistant-powered speaker will play you music based on your commands from services like Spotify, Google Play Music, and Pandora, let you know what the weather is like, and even answer any weird questions you might have. Additionally, you can also use it to control other smart devices found in your home.
The device is not completely waterproof but is splash-resistant (IPX3), has a simple yet attractive design, and even shows you what time it is. According to Sony, the speaker offers a 360-degree audio experience and has enough power to “comfortably fill the average room with sound”. It supports Bluetooth as well as NFC and sports a gesture control top that allows you to play music, skip tracks, and adjust the volume.
Sony’s smart speaker will go on sale in the US in October and will set you back $200. You’ll be able to get it in either black or gray. A month later, it will also be available in certain European countries — Germany, France, the UK — where it will cost you around €230 or £200.
The demand for voice-controlled speakers is on the rise, so it’s no wonder that companies like Sony are entering the market with their own products. However, the LF-S50G is facing some serious competition from devices like the Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers, just to name a few.
The competition will only heat up in the future, with Apple releasing the HomePod in December, while Samsung is expected to announce its own speaker with Bixby on board, although there’s no word on when exactly that might happen.