Can you name the most popular talking intelligent personal assistant among technology gadgets? You will be forgiven if you chose Amazon’s Echo with Alexa? Technology writers put Alexa far ahead, but in reality, Amazon’s entry is far behind in overall usage.
Well, in that case, the winner must be Google’s oddly named Assistant because there are a billion more Android smartphones than there are iPhones and iPads. Nope wrong again.
Which talking intelligent personal assistant is number one on the planet?
Apple’s Siri.
It’s not that Siri works on more devices than Google’s Assistant (still playing catch up to Siri), it’s that Siri gets used more than Assistant and far more than Amazon’s Alexa. This has become a game of usage and Siri just gets used more than others and is closing in on Google’s Assistant for brainpower.
None of that matters too much, though; mostly because Assistant, Alexa, and Siri are rather stupid. Amazon seems to have attracted the most gadgets that work with Alexa and Apple trails because HomeKit hasn’t taken off like Alexa.
Where are Apple’s own HomeKit Gadgets?
Walk into any Apple Store and you’ll be hard pressed to find HomeKit on display at all. They’re in the Store, but you’ll have to look, and chances are good you’ll need to rotate store Associates to find one who knows anything about them.
The Apple Store online has a few dozen that range from a growing number of very expensive lights that can be controlled by iPhone and iPad, sprinkler control systems, baby monitors, thermostats, a number of electrical outlets and smart plugs, and… well, that’s about it.
This so called smarthome revolution isn’t much of a revolution.
How do I know? My own official Villager survey of friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors. Ask around to see how many have Amazon Echo and Alexa devices, Google Home or mini with Assistant, or Apple HomeKit devices.
Out of 30 people on my list, heavily weighted to those who were near me at the time, a grand total of 4 had something on my list. Two Amazon Echo devices, one Google Home, and one with a few light bulbs that worked with an iPhone app.
That ain’t much of a revolution, folks?
I understand why Apple wants third part manufacturers to pump out the goods to work with HomeKit, but relative to Amazon’s Alexa efforts, Siri running other gadgets is, well, a work in progress and there isn’t much progress. Yet.
What is missing are hardware gadgets from Apple; with Apple branding. It seems as if Apple wants to get out of the small accessories business. There’s not even an Apple branded Wi-Fi system. Airport is gone, replaced by thousands of Watch bands and iPhone cases that are sold every day and represent far more revenue and profits for Apple.
I’ll know Apple is serious about HomeKit when Apple sells a line of HomeKit devices.