Sonos will launch Google Assistant on its smart speakers next week

Who says that GA is about to launch next week – the tabloids? Never mistake scribblement for fact. No official word from Sonos yet on that front.

Let's hope we will be able to enable it outside the US with a workaround, like Alexa can be activated beyond supported regions. However, with Google, I wouldn't be very keen to change my home location in my Google account, since that would break a lot of other functionality of the Google ecosystem.

I seriously doubt the integration is on Sonos One and Beam only. Given how the Alexa integration works, and how Google Assitant also utilizes the cloud, it would be completely illogical to impliment only speakers with built in assistants. You pretty much would need to intentionally handicap the integration for some business reason. Sonos might sell more speakers that way perhaps, but the hit to customer goodwill would be high, and it does not fit Sonos MO. I can't see Google wanting to do this as it would actually discourage sales of Google home products, since a customer who has a Sonos room without built in VA would buy a Google Home for that room.

You also have to remember that the authors of these articles are not going to be into the details of Sonos the way we are. They wouldn't recognize that they're statements could be taken the wrong way, or possibly even know enough about Sonos to know there is a concept of controlling other Sonos speakers by voice.

I would guess that only Gen 2 One's will be supported. There has to be a good reason they updated the hardware recently.

No, not buying this theory. There isn't a a good reason to think that the Google integration requires significantly more hardware than Alexa. This is cloud computing after all. Even in the off chance that it did, Sonos would surely give users the option of turning of other features, like airplay 2 perhaps in order to accommodate GA.

I might be more inclined to believe that Gen 1 speakers can have either Alexa OR GA configured, while maybe Gen 2 can have both configured at the same time? That would make some sense to me, I'd be more inclinded to believe that the Gen 2 has more to do with production costs (perhaps using more common parts with the beam) and farther future proofing then a consequence of the GA integration.


Regardless, I really hope that we'll be able to configure Alexa and GA on the same speakers. I'm pretty much set in my ways with Alexa, and would be open to migrating to Google. I just can't do that if I have to give up the ease I've established with Alexa and practically start over again.

Right, but the issue is which devices you can talk to. The Beam, sure, and, I am surmising, the One Gen 2. I don't think the One Gen 1 is going to work. We'll find out at some point. Obviously all models can be controlled with voice, that doesn't need any more hardware (or software) support than Alexa-remote-control needed, but its the mic-listening devices that are hardware challenged, as they have to run three very separate software stacks: Sonos Classic, Alexa, and Google. We have seen that a lot more memory (4x) is required for this compared to the non-mic-equipped devices.

That would make some sense to me, I'd be more inclinded to believe that the Gen 2 has more to do with production costs (perhaps using more common parts with the beam) and farther future proofing then a consequence of the GA integration.
When the Gen2 was introduced, there were some topics here about the changes. I don't recall if it was mentioned here, but in the Dutch community, a Sonos Rep literally said the changes were based on "experiences with Beam". As an example they stated that from the work on the Beam they had concluded that they could change the microphone array from 6 to 4. The Beam being the newer product, it's not difficult to imagine that it might have already had upgraded memory and processor power, and they just changed the One to be on the same spec, while cutting cost by using the same hardware the Beam has.

I'm not at all concerned that the Gen1 will be left out, as the communication by Sonos on this was quite clear. I would've expected them to be silent or vague about it if they were not sure.

I would expect all other sonos devices to join "works with google assistant" later on, ie you will be able to cast to sonos using google voice control......when is the big question...

Here is a good article that outlines some of the smart home impacts folks will see as a result of this change. I don't think Amazon is too worried.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/google-ends-works-with-nest,news-30036.html

The article says that Google-Nest and Alexa-Ring are both refusing to play nicely with each other's tech. Users will be forced to chose one side or the other. Fine. The lines are drawn.

Google Assistant took just 2 years to go from zero to surpassing Alexa. And Nest is already miles ahead of Ring also. Plus, just about half of the Google I/O keynote last week was devoted to Assistant or Nest. Google is clearly investing enormously!!

If users are forced to chose one or the other, I predict Alexa Ring will be nothing more than an also-ran within 2 years. Google Nest is going to crush them

The article also names IFTTT and a lot of other things that will Stop working with Nest but continue to work with each other and with Alexa. Easier to just ditch your Nest thermostat and get on with your life than have to commit to some new walled garden Google is trying to create.As you wish. Nest is, by all accounts, the best thermostat on the market. There isn't even a close 2nd. If you want to cut your nose to spite your face, then go ahead, ditch the nest thermostat and get something inferior. But Nest thermostat will remain, by far, the dominant player. I have no doubt