Smart speakers: everything you need to know

2017 saw the emergence of the smart speaker, but what is a smart speaker and what does it do? We present the ins and outs of the latest trend in the audio world.

What is a smart speaker? If your wireless speaker can perform tasks by responding to your voice then we’d consider it a smart speaker. These tend to be single-unit wireless speakers that feature artificial intelligence (AI), which comes in the form of voice-controlled personal assistants, the most popular being Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

What can a smart speaker do? You can ask your smart speaker to play a song or playlist. You can also ask it to set a timer while baking a soufflé. You can control your AV system. You can ask it to turn down the lights in your room, turn up the heating, ask for the weather report, check the traffic, or get it to tell you a joke.

All you have to do is say the magic words – ‘OK Google’, ‘Alexa’ or ‘Hey Siri’ (for Apple products) – and your smart speaker will wait to hear your command. What you can do with a smart speaker depends largely on which AI it has; Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant work in slightly different ways and across different apps and services. Alexa and Google Assistant both work with the likes of Spotify Connect, Tunein Radio, Philips Hue, Nest and Domino’s Pizza.

Compatibility Right now Alexa has more ‘skills’ and works with a greater and broader variety of thirdparty apps (such as National Rail Enquiries, Hive, Expedia, Fitbit and Amazon Music).

Google Assistant, meanwhile, doesn’t even support all of Google’s services at the moment but it can use the world’s most powerful search engine so it’s better at answering your questions and providing useful information. It also works with Google Play Music, iheart Radio, and through Chromecast you can voice-control Youtube and Netflix on your TV.

Apple’s typically closed ecosystem means Siri is likely only to work with its native IOS apps: Apple Music, Homekit, imessage, Podcast, Reminders, Maps and the like.

Don’t forget smart speakers still function as basic wireless speakers, too. You can stream songs to them via Bluetooth, Airplay and/or wi-fi, while a lot of them support multi-room streaming. What are the alternatives? The first smart speakers prioritised the ‘smart’ aspects over audio. We aren’t huge fans of the way they sound and wouldn’t recommend them as your main music source. But the times they are a changin’ with Apple’s Homepod delivering excellent sound quality and others, such as the Sonos One and Ultimate Ears Megablast, showing that sound quality needn’t take a back seat.

Similarly, if you’re not fussed about controlling via voice commands and simply want a good wireless speaker with good sound, you’re spoilt for choice.

There are fantastic wireless speakers in every shape and size, including the Libratone Zipp and UE Boom 2, which are also getting Alexa voice control. Alternatively, if you’re only interested in the voice control element of smart speakers, you can simply add the puck-sized Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini to your existing music system. They’ll give you all the smart features of their full-sized versions, but you won’t have to listen to them.