Bose Speakers Add Voice Control Via Google Assistant

Bose is adding voice control to its smart speakers via Google Assistant. The new integration will allow customers to control the speaker with simple voice commands after using the phrase “Hey Google” to get its attention.

Google Assistant will introduce the usual array of smart home features. Users will be able to play music, control the volume, and ask for translations and updates on the news and weather. They’ll also be able to manage their calendar, set alerts, and play video content if the speaker is connected to a Chromecast-enabled TV.

The new voice controls will be available to owners of Bose’s 500 and 700 Soundbars, the Bose Home Speaker 500, and the upcoming Bose Home Speaker 300. New speakers will offer support for Google Assistant right out of the box. People with an older speaker will be able to unlock Google Assistant using the Bose Music app after downloading a software update.

This is the second major product integration for Google Assistant in as many weeks after the speech recognition platform was incorporated into Qualcomm’s Smart Headset Platform. Google has been pushing voice interactions more aggressively since October, when it updated Google Assistant to better accommodate its users’ vocal preferences.