We are not able to enable both these voice assistants but are forced to choose. I'm sure I'm not the only one assuming Amazon, Google or both companies are actively preventing us from enabling both at the same time. I have however seen media reports that Sonos have publicly stated this is to enhance user experience. We'll probably never know the full reasons why this isn't currently possible.
I've created this thread so that those of us wishing for both to be enabled can clearly state that our user experience would be enhanced by being given the option to enable both assistants on the same device at the same time.
Enable both Alexa and Google Assistant
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You can currently only use the one assistant on a single device... simple answer is to buy two supported Sonos products and use 'Alexa' on one and 'Assistant' on the other, at the same time.
One of the reasons I'd like the ability to enable both assistants on the same device at the same time is that I really don't want additional devices cluttering up the room.
I think a good many of us might accept that Sonos perhaps give away their software with no additional charge, but their main business is actually selling speakers and they clearly want you to buy more of their products.
I would like to be able to install both voice assistants on a “stereo pair”, which I think would be a fair deal for both Sonos and it’s customers.
I would like to be able to install both voice assistants on a “stereo pair”, which I think would be a fair deal for both Sonos and it’s customers.
It's not Sonos software, it's an integration of Google Assistant, that said, Sonos clearly will have needed resource to set up and support the integration. They probably weigh that against the fact that each new service integration potentially widens the pool of people who may consider purchasing Sonos devices.
When we recently purchased the Beam, we only looked at other soundbars that had Google Assistant integration. Any future Sonos purchases by our household will depend on how full an integration this ends up being, and what else arrives on the market 😀
When we recently purchased the Beam, we only looked at other soundbars that had Google Assistant integration. Any future Sonos purchases by our household will depend on how full an integration this ends up being, and what else arrives on the market 😀
Yes that type of decision making, probably applies to us all when making a purchase, but I personally would happily continue with Sonos and it’s current Alexa integration anyway, in my particular case, as that is already a good many months/year ahead of the Google Assistant integration, which was only launched publicly less than a week ago.
I eventually hope to use both voice assistants in all the main rooms of our home, as each voice service has its own benefits.
I'd like the ability to use both, but since we don't have that, the GA integration is already more useful to our particular scenario than the Alexa one ever was.
I like the automatic 'Alexa Enabled Group' features and the fact the Sonos rooms can be made to group/ungroup together automatically at the correct voice instructions, plus you can assign numerous Sonos devices as the 'preferred speakers' to an echo device.
Alexa allows for group-volume/individual room volume control too... and there’s the option to choose which speakers duck their audio when talking to a particular device.
I have little doubt Google will get there too, in time, but it still has a way to go to catch up with those type of features on Sonos, or any other 3rd party device for that matter, but so far, so good.👍
I'm not familiar with the Alexa Enabled Group features so can't comment 😐 You can default a Google Assistant device to a speaker group, but since I rarely wish to use groups, it's not a feature I've ever used much and I certainly haven't compared it with the Amazon group version recently.
I guess usability really depends on our individual use cases, and I'd just like to have the option of using both Assistants so I can decide for myself which one is more helpful for which task. Sonos deciding that it's customers aren't capable of making those determinations is quite insulting.
I guess usability really depends on our individual use cases, and I'd just like to have the option of using both Assistants so I can decide for myself which one is more helpful for which task. Sonos deciding that it's customers aren't capable of making those determinations is quite insulting.
The Google Home Hub actually adds considerable value to a setup, without "cluttering up the room", and will allow you to voice-control your Sonos setup. Keep the Sonos on Alexa, use the Hub to display artwork, your photos, the forecast, etc. It's quite unobtrusive, and inexpensive.
We have a number of Google Home devices, including several Google Home Hubs. Although many people are happy with them, I don't enjoy listening to music on the Google devices but for everything else they're fine.
I consider requiring a phone handset, voice assistant device(s) and speakers clutter. It's 2019, it is possible to successfully merge these items and I'm hoping that eventually whatever is hampering a fuller Google Assistant integration is resolved. If that happens, I imagine we'll add more Sonos devices to the household. Being realistic it's not looking terribly likely this will end up becoming what I'd like to see, so in the meantime, I'm watching the rest of the market 😀
I consider requiring a phone handset, voice assistant device(s) and speakers clutter. It's 2019, it is possible to successfully merge these items and I'm hoping that eventually whatever is hampering a fuller Google Assistant integration is resolved. If that happens, I imagine we'll add more Sonos devices to the household. Being realistic it's not looking terribly likely this will end up becoming what I'd like to see, so in the meantime, I'm watching the rest of the market 😀
+1 on this feature request
+1 on this feature request
+1
Auto switch Voice Assistants awaiting "Ok Google" & "Alexa" instead of App based switch?
Why cant it have BOTH; wait for "Ok Google" and "Alexa" instead of switching from one to the other through App?
Why not make the VOICE TRIGGER the Switch instead of the App?
Auto switch Voice Assistants awaiting "Ok Google" & "Alexa" instead of App based switch?
Why cant it have BOTH; wait for "Ok Google" and "Alexa" instead of switching from one to the other through App?
Why not make the VOICE TRIGGER the Switch instead of the App?
For this I think Sonos need own voice assistant/processing agent. Since saying Alexa on Google mode won’t trigger anything on Google or vice versa.
If something like this to take place, I’d think Sonos need local voice assistant and first process command through it and pass to appropriate agent when needed. Maybe this is indeed the reason why they just acquired Snips?😊
Auto switch Voice Assistants awaiting "Ok Google" & "Alexa" instead of App based switch?
Why cant it have BOTH; wait for "Ok Google" and "Alexa" instead of switching from one to the other through App?
Why not make the VOICE TRIGGER the Switch instead of the App?
For this I think Sonos need own voice assistant/processing agent. Since saying Alexa on Google mode won’t trigger anything on Google or vice versa.
If something like this to take place, I’d think Sonos need local voice assistant and first process command through it and pass to appropriate agent when needed. Maybe this is indeed the reason why they just acquired Snips?😊
They probably do not. The Mic/ Hardware is the same.
They have access to client modules of both, but are switching passing on the inputs to G or A based on App switching.
Instead of switching using an OR based on an App Switch, maybe they do an AND and pass input to Both and see who, or if any one of them responds affirmative recognition and use the one whose name was called based on their response.
Not very difficult to do.
Not sure if you’ve seen this story: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50842062
A new alliance spearheaded by Amazon, Apple, and Google ...
Called Project Connected Home over IP (CHoIP), the goal is one that’s eluded the smart home space since its inception: “To enable communication across smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services and to define a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.”
I would imagine once this is created, Sonos will be at the forefront on integration.
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