Google goes big to grab attention, sales
Tech giant hopes to close the gap with Amazon
LOS ANGELES – Hey, Google, what’s up with CES this year?
The annual consumer electronics show has been dominated by Asian tech giants Samsung, LG and Sony in recent years, along with a trade show floor featuring thousands of start-ups hoping lightning strikes with some Las Vegasstyle luck.
What you historically don’t see at CES are U.S.-based tech giants Apple, Amazon or Google, which tend to show off their new products at their own heavily produced media events later in the year.
But CES 2018, which kicks off with events Sunday, will have a big presence from Google as it continues its huge push to take on Amazon’s Echo connected speaker.
The Las Vegas Monorail, which takes delegates to and from CES and hotels, is splattered with a huge “Hey Google” advertisement, one of the two “wake words” people use to pose queries to the Google Assistant, most notably on the Google Home speaker. Google also has a large “Hey Google” booth right outside the Las Vegas Convention Center.
In 2017, Google — which makes most of its money off digital ads — doubled down on hardware, rolling out the Google Pixel 2 phone, the Google Pixel Buds earbuds and most significantly, those Google Home speakers advertised so heavily this past holiday season.
Home competes with Echo, which Amazon said was its best-selling product overall during the holidays, specifically the pint-sized, $49.99 version, the Dot. Google’s answer to the Dot, the Mini, was aggressively priced for $29 at big-box stores such as Walmart, with cash gift cards for as much as $25 for purchasers. (It now sells for $49.99 again.)
At CES, Google is expected to show off using the Google Assistant to turn on and off televisions, other branded speakers and smart home products, in addition to general queries about the weather and trivia.
A new line of TVs from LG, being shown off Monday, will feature the Google Assistant, as will a new LG speaker, according to major TV and appliance maker LG. Start-up Lynky has announced a new hub that acts as a universal remote for the smart home, operated by saying, “Hey Google.”
Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights and Strategy, says Google has quite a ways to go to catch up to Amazon, but showcasing its wares at CES will help close the gap. “Google needs more ecosystem partners, apps and devices,” he said.
CES attracts 180,000-plus attendees and more than 4,000 exhibiting companies and is a must ticket for most sections of the tech industry, if not to see and buy new products, then to meet up with potential partners and clients.
Apple, which historically doesn’t exhibit at CES, will be on the trade show floor, showing up in other companies’ products via Apple HomeKit, just as Amazon’s Alexa is in smart TVs. The HomeKit software leverages the Siri personal assistant to operate smart homes, via apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch.
Unlike Google, Apple will be more understated, with several new products from other brands showing off HomeKit integration. They include a Wemo HomeBridge from Belkin, which will enable HomeKit control for the Wemo products that plug into outlets and control smart home use.
Apple HomeKit will also show off integration with security cameras from Netgear, faucets and shower heads from Kohler and Moen and Orbit sprinkler systems.
The 2017 CES featured many products from Amazon on the trade show floor, minus an official Amazon presence, as the e-tailer looked to bring Alexa to many new products, including a router, a robot and a refrigerator.
Alexa is expected to be featured on several new products on the CES 2018 show floor as well. Already announced: a new line of TVs from Chinese Asian manufacturer Hisense.