Amazon has one, Google has one, Apple is getting one and now Sony wants a slice of the smart speaker action.
The Japanese technology firm has just announced the launch of its first ever voice-powered speaker which is imaginatively named the LF-S50G.
This circular music maker is aimed at taking on the all-conquering Amazon Echo which was the surprise hit of 2016.
Like the Echo, Sony has gone for a round design but unlike Amazon’s offering it doesn’t use the Alexa personal voice assistant.
Instead, Sony has chosen Google’s Assistant, saying that its more comprehensive knowledge of the web will provide users with a superior experience.
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Via Google Assistant, users of Sony’s new smart speaker will be able to play music, search the web, find news and weather reports and even check their diary via simple voice commands.
Lights, heating and other smart home appliances can also be controlled via the speaker.
Along with this clever voice function the LF-S50G is obviously a speaker and Sony says it’s worked hard to bring a superior audio experience to its latest device.
Sound quailty has always been something Amzon’s Echo has been criticised for and Sony clearly sees this as a way of making its new speaker stand out from the crowd.
Sony says that with a 360 degree vertical two-way facing speaker system, the S50G wireless speaker can comfortably fill the average room with sound.
To feel the natural bassy sounds and the same sound quality anywhere in the room from such a compact speaker, the S50G incorporates the following parts: a full range speaker to clearly reproduce vocal and treble notes, a dedicated subwoofer to reproduce bass sounds, the damped bass reflex duct for neutral bass coming from a small form, and the omnidirectional two stage diffuser to spread the sound in all directions.
What realises the high quality sound is how these key parts are assembled based on Sony’s expertise in audio technology.
Another neat new feature on Sony’s LF-S50G is the inclusion of a clock which appears behind its wired mesh design.
The speaker is also splash and water resistant, making it perfect for the kitchen or bathroom.
Finally Sony has added gesture control which allows simply commands to be performed by waving your hand over the top of the speaker.
The LF-S50G will arrive in November in two colours, black or white, and will cost around £200.
That price is a little more than Amazon’s Echo but significantly cheaper than Apple’s HomePod which is set to land in shops this December.