Smart speakers: Everything you need to know about this year’s biggest tech trend

THEY are predicted to boom in popularity, but not all smart speakers are created equal — find out which one should you buy and why.

IT’S the biggest technology of the year, is predicted to double in popularity, and the world’s richest technology company has just joined the trend.

But artificially intelligent speakers are still not widely understood or trusted by Australian consumers, according to tech experts, who say some potential buyers still “fear” them, and all major brands needed to better explain their voice-recording additions.

New research from Telstyte revealed more than half of Australians were now aware of smart speakers like the Apple HomePod that launched yesterday, which could be commanded to play music, answer queries, or control internet-connected gadgets like light bulbs and robot vacuum cleaners.

But Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said the firm’s survey of more than 1100 Australians also showed many still did not fully understand how to use the technology, whether they needed a smart speaker, or if they could be trusted.

The new Apple HomePod pictured in Brisbane, 7th of February 2018. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

“There’s still a lot of fear around these devices eavesdropping or constantly recording,” Mr Fadaghi said.

“There needs to be work done by manufacturers to give consumers confidence in their security and to help them trust that information captured is securely stored and not hackable.”

To address concerns, Google, Apple, and Amazon smart speakers all feature a light that glows when they’re recording conversations, and all promise to encrypt users’ voice recordings.

Amazon Echo speakers, which arrived in Australia this week, and Google Home speakers also feature a mute button to allow for privacy.

Despite consumer concerns, however, Australians are expected to buy more than double the number of smart speakers this year, Mr Fadaghi said, and as many as one in five households would use the technology by the end of the year.

A study by Edison Research showed more than three in five smart speaker owners would not “want to go back to life without” it, two in five considered the technology essential to their daily lives, and their top regular uses were playing music and weather forecasts, answering questions, reading the news, and setting timers.

The Apple HomePod is the best sounding smart speaker. Picture: AAP Image/Josh Woning

Apple HomePod

$499, apple.com/au

Why should you buy it: HomePod is by far the best sounding smart speaker on the market. Apple’s effort is also the loudest smart speaker, adapts its audio to your environment, is the only model to work with Apple Music, and Siri can tell you a lot about the music you play on it. Support for stereo sound is coming later this year.

Why should you avoid it: Siri isn’t as able as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to answer your questions, you need an Apple device to set it up at all, it will only stream songs from Apple Music, and it’s more expensive than its rivals. The HomePod also lacks a mute button for when you don’t want to be heard.

Smart speaker score: 7.5/10

Amazon’s Echo Plus smart speaker can order a pizza, check your bank balance or book an Uber. Picture: Supplied

Amazon Echo Plus

$229, amazon.com.au

Why should you buy it: You can access extra services from this speaker, whether you want to check your bank balance and flight status, order a pizza, or summon an Uber ride. Amazon has teamed with a host of Australian businesses early, and this speaker can also detect smart home products automatically.

Why should you avoid it: It cannot place phone calls or send text messages from your phone, it won’t recognise who is talking to it, and its sound is merely passable. It’s also not ready to place your online shopping order yet like similar models overseas.

Smart speaker score: 8.5/10

Google Home will answer all your questions. Picture: Supplied

Google Home

$199, store.google.com

Why should you buy it: This speaker is most likely to understand you, provide an answer to obscure questions, deliver news, weather, and step-by-step recipes, and work with services you already use to set appointments, estimate travel times, and deliver music. It will also recognise who is speaking, and work with other Home speakers to ‘broadcast’ announcements through your home.

Why should you avoid it: You can’t order goods or Uber rides with this speaker in Australia, even though your American counterparts users can. Google Home also delivers average sound compared to its Apple peer, and its smarts are now available in a smaller, cheaper speaker.

Smart speaker score: 8/10

Originally published as Smart speakers: Everything you need to know about this year’s biggest tech trend