EXCLUSIVE: BOSE DELAY GOOGLE ASSISTANT ROLLOUT

Bose Australia has confirmed a new, delayed date for Google Assistant functionality on its smart devices, more than a week after announcing the update would automatically begin rolling out.

The functionality is now expected to be added to existing Bose Home speaker and Soundbar products on August 13, close to two weeks after the originally announced release date.

On August 1 Bose said the automatic software update would “bring the Google Assistant to all existing Bose smart speakers and soundbars” as it announced its new Home Speaker 300 ($399.95), which is claimed to have the Assistant built-in at launch.

But after it became readily apparent that this update had not eventuated and despite repeated requests from customers for clarification around the release date, Bose has finally confirmed to 4Square Medua today that the update will be available from August 13.

That update will come just in time for the release of the Home Speaker 300 and Bose’s new smart noise cancelling 700 headphones ($599.95), both of which are slated for release on August 15.

In a statement to 4Square Media, Bose said “adding new services and functionality can rely on third parties for approval that are outside the control of Bose,” hinting that the delays were potentially due to Google not wanting to have its Assistant co-existing alongside the competing Amazon Alexa digital voice assistant.

The two DVAs have been integrated side-by-side into Sonos products in the past, but it’s understood Sonos had used its existing patents for multi-room wireless audio products to place pressure on the tech giants to play nicely on its platform.