Echo Show soon to be nerdy by Google’s smart screen

February 29, 2020

As soon as it comes out, Amazon's Echo Show will have to face the imminent arrival of a major competitor; came straight from Google. Several sources report that Google is currently developing a smart screen that allows ehealth calls to be made.

Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Manhattan Project would both have a similar screen size of 7 inches. Both sources say Google’s screen will support YouTube, Google Assistant, Google Photos, and ehealth calls. It will also serve as a health home automation hub to control Nest devices and other smarthome devices.

Echo Show soon to be nerfed by Google’s smart screen

Google would also work on larger screens, which would then compete with normal-size TVs. The initial launch date was scheduled for mid-2018, but with the launch of the Echo Show, it is not impossible that the Google screen will be unveiled this year. In all likelihood, the device will be equipped with Android, which will facilitate the creation of new applications by third parties. At the moment, we don't know what the price of the device will be or what it will look like.

The inclusion of YouTube on the Manhattan device provides a better understanding of why Google recently removed YouTube from the Echo Show. At the time, Amazon told The Verge, "Google has chosen to stop making YouTube available on Echo Show without explanation or notification to customers. There is no technical reason for this decision. "

Google responded that "the implementation of YouTube on Echo Show violated the terms of service, creating a degraded user experience." So it seems that Google is willing to sacrifice the reach of YouTube to protect its integrity … especially when its own device is about to be released.

With the smart screen Manhattan therefore wants to develop the devices that will allow it to enter our homes and install its Google Assistant there. A wizard that will also install Google ehealth chat apps like Duo and Hangouts. Equipped with a screen, it would also allow the use of the company's other products, such as Google Photos.

So even if Google already offers Google Wifi, Google health home and Chromecasts, what is missing from these devices is a screen. The Manhattan device would perfectly complement Google’s existing offering.