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I really wish people (you) would read. > The other thing that rings true in the NYT story is the detail that Google told Sonos it would pull Google Assistant s

I really wish people (you) would read. > The other thing that rings true in the NYT story is the detail that Google told Sonos it would pull Google Assistant support if Sonos enabled simultaneous wake words. That’s the feature which lets speakers listen for both “Alexa” and “Okay Google” at the same time. Google really comes off looking like a bully.

mdorazio 7y ago
While true, this is also pretty much standard practice in multiple industries. Everyone wants to be the exclusive service available on a device, whether it's a speaker, TV, or car head unit. It's up to the device manufacturer to navigate this (usually they'll get a kickback for accepting an exclusivity agreement).
lowdose 7y ago
At the time I wrote my comment there was just 1 comment. Specifically about Sonos acquiring an AI speech startup which wasn't mentioned in the article. This was information enough for me discarding Sonos POV around what you call bullying. I usually read the article first, the comments second and write something when I think I have something to add to the discussion. I really wish you read the HN rules specifically mentioning not to comment about assumptions on reading!
- aprvchndrs 7y ago
  > The article still has no answer on why it is so difficult to actually get a Sonos to play nice with the two interfaces supplied by Amazon and Google This is answered in the article. That's what GhettoMaestro is talking about. Specifically - Google said that it would pull Assistant support if Sonos added support to simultaneously listen for Alexa. That's the answer as to why they don't support 2 competing interfaces. Not a technical decision - but looks more like a business decision from Google. Even if you disregard bullying - this seems like a way for Google to assert exclusivity. >APIs that every consumer can hookup with IFTTT This only works if the API is open enough to use. I somehow don't think Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant agreements with third-parties would support that.
  - lowdose 7y ago
    Sounds like healthy competition behavior to me. Sonos is always allowed to push 2 sku's one for Alexa and one for GA.
    - lonelappde 7y ago
      Holding users hostage and pressuring them to purchase expensive unnecessary additional hardware (wasting resources and pollution) is not healthy competition.
lonelappde 7y ago
Please follow the HN civility guidelines. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- GhettoMaestro 7y ago
  Fuck off. I've told you faggots to piss off for a long time. Dumbass motherfucker.

mdorazio 7y ago

While true, this is also pretty much standard practice in multiple industries. Everyone wants to be the exclusive service available on a device, whether it's a speaker, TV, or car head unit. It's up to the device manufacturer to navigate this (usually they'll get a kickback for accepting an exclusivity agreement).

lowdose 7y ago

At the time I wrote my comment there was just 1 comment. Specifically about Sonos acquiring an AI speech startup which wasn't mentioned in the article. This was information enough for me discarding Sonos POV around what you call bullying. I usually read the article first, the comments second and write something when I think I have something to add to the discussion. I really wish you read the HN rules specifically mentioning not to comment about assumptions on reading!

aprvchndrs 7y ago
> The article still has no answer on why it is so difficult to actually get a Sonos to play nice with the two interfaces supplied by Amazon and Google This is answered in the article. That's what GhettoMaestro is talking about. Specifically - Google said that it would pull Assistant support if Sonos added support to simultaneously listen for Alexa. That's the answer as to why they don't support 2 competing interfaces. Not a technical decision - but looks more like a business decision from Google. Even if you disregard bullying - this seems like a way for Google to assert exclusivity. >APIs that every consumer can hookup with IFTTT This only works if the API is open enough to use. I somehow don't think Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant agreements with third-parties would support that.
- lowdose 7y ago
  Sounds like healthy competition behavior to me. Sonos is always allowed to push 2 sku's one for Alexa and one for GA.
  - lonelappde 7y ago
    Holding users hostage and pressuring them to purchase expensive unnecessary additional hardware (wasting resources and pollution) is not healthy competition.

lonelappde 7y ago

Please follow the HN civility guidelines. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

GhettoMaestro 7y ago
Fuck off. I've told you faggots to piss off for a long time. Dumbass motherfucker.