Microsoft tried too hard with the Kinect in all the wrong ways. This is a company that decided it should charge more upfront for its Xbox console because it was bundling the Kinect in the box, which did not help it fight against the PlayStation 4 at all. The pricing and bundled Kinect aren't the only reason why Sony is still dominating the console wars, but it certainly helped.
However, I also think Microsoft gave up on the Kinect way too quickly. Not because I think the Kinect was a hit, or even because I think it could have taken off in the days of the Xbox One. I mostly feel this way because I actually liked the Kinect quite a bit, so it's just coming from a selfish position. Being able to walk into the house and tell my Xbox to turn on, which would then turn on the TV, too, was pretty awesome!
The Kinect was the first glimpse at a house full of smart devices, and it got that part right.
Before I picked up the HomePod from Apple, I was using a Google Home. Unsurprisingly, for someone who listens to music quite a bit, the HomePod served a better purpose than the standard Google Home so I switched. I was also switching to Apple Music at the same time, so the switch wasn't too difficult.
But I got to thinking about it, and while I could definitely put this Google Home in another room I don't think I'm going to. I haven't yet, anyway, so I don't think it will happen anytime soon. I don't think I'm completely against the idea of having multiple brands of smart speakers in the house, though. I've never really considered it!
That would obviously be a bit tough if you wanted to stay in the Apple ecosystem, considering Apple hasn't launched more than one smart speaker up to this point. But Amazon and Google, and Sonos thanks to its support for different digital personal assistants, have so many options now. I still don't think Amazon has a great choice for people who want to primarily listen to music, but hey, that's what built-in Alexa support is for in other branded speakers.
Amazon and Google are currently in a battle for the number one spot when it comes to smart speaker market dominance. Apple is trying to catch up, but, let's be real. I don't see that happening in the near future. So I'm curious: Are you helping one of these companies gain market share, or have you decided not to stick to brand loyalty of any kind and mix-and-match as you see fit?
You could even throw in a Facebook Portal device in there, too. You know, if you were so inclined to put a Facebook smart speaker in your house.
If you have decided to stick with one company for your smart speaker needs, which company is getting your money? Or, if you've outfitted your home with various models, why did you choose the ones you did? Let me know!