The best upcoming products with Google Assistant
Google says that its virtual assistant will be installed on one billion devices by the end of the month, and we believe it. After CES 2019 in Las Vegas, and with MWC in Barcelona just around the corner, we’ve put together a list of the best upcoming products with Google Assistant integration you can expect to see this year.
Of course, the caveat to that billion devices stat is that it includes smartphones, which is by far the largest wedge of the pie. Still, Assistant is coming to all kinds of new products for increasingly smarter homes. Here are the main areas to look out for if you want to embrace Google Assistant voice commands this year.
Jump to section:
- In the bathroom
- Smart TVs and entertainment
- Google Assistant in your car
- Smart headphones
- Inside your smart home
In the bathroom
The LG Styler is a home steamer for your clothes that can remove creases and 99.9% of germs (according to LG) from suits, dresses and sweaters. It’s kind of like an at-home dry-cleaning machine, and it can be activated via Google Assistant. There’s also Aroma Kis, which can be added to make your clobber smell nice, and a hidden LED Display.
There was no information about the price or availability of the LG Styler, but this is clearly a premium product for the most dapper of ladies and gentlemen. You could see these turning up in the more expensive hotel rooms and suites though.
Kohler Veil Bathtub, taken from the brand’s new Lighted Collection, it one of the most elegant looking smart home products that you’ll soon be able to buy with integrated Google Assistant support. It allows you can draw a bath to your preferred preset temperature and desired depth with a voice command - something Kohler is calling PerfectFill™ Technology.
Smart TVs and entertainment
One of the more obvious ways in which our homes will become smarter, is with the increasing availability of smart televisions and soundbars. LG turned heads with its rollable OLED TV at the Consumer Electronics Show and it’s easy to see why. The 65-inch 4K HDR television is stunning! Oh, and it comes with Google Assistant built-in.
Sony revealed is outrageously large 98-inch 8K television at CES this year as well. The Z9G Master Series are running the Japanese manufacturer’s famed X1 Ultimate processor, as well as Google Assistant built-in to offer a hands-free viewing experience.
LG is also bringing out some premium soundbars this year with Assistant built it, but one of the more intriguing products in this category is the JBL Link Bar. This two-in-one is both a Google Assistant and Android TV device. It could replace your old Chromecast, Google Home speaker and Android TV box in one swift swoop. It should be out this spring and will cost $400 in the US. There is also an optional subwoofer available, for an extra $300.
Google Assistant in your car
JBL is also bringing Google Assistant to your car with its Link Drive. Google Assistant in automobiles is going to be a common theme throughout 2019. The Anker Roav Bolt, is another smart addition to this market. It has been designed with Google to bring the Assistant directly to your car. It plugs into your cigarette lighter and lets you play music or podcasts, enable navigation, read texts, make calls, set reminders, and check your schedule hands-free. There also are voice notifications and noise cancellation for clear voice commands. It comes out next month and will cost $50 in the US.
If you have made the switch to a fully-electric vehicle, you may have heard of the SolarEdge EV Single Phase Inverter already. If not, it’s the world’s first EV charging inverter, enabling drivers to charge their EVs using solar power. The system combines sun and grid power for charging up to 2.5 times faster than a standard EV charger, and you can even control it using Google Assistant.
Right now, you can only use Assistant to start and stop charging, but there are plans to include support for inquiring about charging status, checking average miles charged in the charging session, and pre-schedule charging in the near future.
Smart headphones
The revival of over-ear headphones over the last couple of years has been nothing short of emphatic. Now, Google Assistant is starting to creep into these headsets. We’ve already seen this tech on the incredibly popular noise cancellers, the Sony WH1000XM3s, but those cost $350.
As we move through 2019, Assistant will be turning up on more affordable over-ear headphones. One of the most highly anticipated pairs is the Audio-Technica M50xBT. The wireless version of the best-selling M50x costs less than $200 and comes with built-in Google Assistant support. You can grab them now.
If battery life is your main concern with wireless noise-canceling headphones, then perhaps the Jabra Elite 85h are the ones to go for. The 85h headphones feature Smart Active Noise Cancellation that responds to your environment to block out unwanted sound and have 32 hours of battery life. Google Assistant support gives you hands-free control via the Jabra Sound+ app. The Jabra 85h will cost $300.
Inside your smart home
Home security continues to be one of the biggest sellers for those getting into the smart home realm for the first time. This year, ADT is looking to take things to the next level with its Command tablet. The seven-inch device is designed to be the center of your wider home security system, and links all of your smart home security devices together.
The ADT Command and Control system is also compatible with Google Assistant, meaning that you can manage your home security using voice commands.
IKEA’s venture into the connected home market began with a bit of a false start. It’s TRÅDFRI smart lights were a bit of a disappointment. Now, the Swedish giant is back with a set of smart blinds that can be controlled via remote control or voice commands. The FYRTUR don’t need to be plugged into a wall socket either. You’ll have to use the TRÅDFRI lighting gateway control app to get those voice commands up and running, though.
Lastly, Google will go big on its Assistant Connect this year, as the company tries to tie together a lot of its existing Assistant products, as well as expand the ecosystem. The first new product in this line is the E Link Screen. The small, simple display can show the current weather and other basic information and is easy on the eye thanks to Amazon Kindle-like electronic ink technology.
Google has plans to make several of these little displays, which are controlled via Google Assistant voice commands, that can be integrated into all kinds of places throughout your smart home.The company is still working on these right now, but expect to see them sometime in 2019.
Which product are you most excited for? Did we miss something coming in 2019 with integrated Google Assistant that should be on our list? Let us know in the comments.
