Google Assistant Slated to Topple Alexa

The surge in demand for voice-activated speakers is sparking a new battle between the world's major technology giants, including Baidu, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Apple, for control of the future computing platform in the connected home.

And while Amazon's Alexa holds the dominant position right now, Strategy Analytics in its latest report "Intelligent Home Speakers Spark New Battle for OS Supremacy," concludes that Google's Assistant will be able to leverage its advantages in search, machine learning and ecosystem scale to become the leading platform.

"Google Assistant has the potential to dominate the intelligent home speaker market in the long term, assuming it can capitalize on its clear strengths in search and machine learning," noted Bill Ablondi, director of Strategy Analytics' Smart Home Strategies research program. "Although the path towards monetization of a voice-first platform seems less obvious for Google than for its major rivals, maintaining its position as the primary access point to the online world will be of paramount importance to the search giant."

"Amazon's Alexa is at the forefront of the voice-first computing revolution, and the company will be hoping that its current base of Echo users will stay loyal to the platform having integrated it into their daily routines," said David Watkins, director of connected home at Strategy Analytics, in a statement. "It is this ecosystem stickiness that all AI assistant providers are looking to achieve and a reason why scale, both in terms of application and service support and compatible devices, will be a focal point for all would be challengers to Amazon's crown."

Among them are Baidu's Duer, Apple's Siri, and Microsoft's Cortana, which are all poised to build market share.