Since its launch, the Google Home device has received a host of new features and capabilities. These new capabilities have been especially focused on their integration with other smart devices or appliances, as well as other online services. And now we know that one of the next features that could come to this smart speaker equipped with Google Assistant could be the ability to make and receive VoIP phone calls.
As published today by the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, Google is working on incorporating phone functionality into Google Home which could be launched at the end of this year of 2017. As stated in said publication, the function will use voice over IP, better known as VoIP technology. To be confirmed this informationGoogle would be moving along the same lines as its current biggest competitor, Amazon's Echo speaker, a company that has also been working on incorporating similar functionality since last year, although it has faced some delays.
While the Echo already allows users to send SMS messages with AT&T, Google has the clear advantage of a decade working on Hangouts-style services and a recently relaunched Google Voice.
Both companies, Google and Amazon face similar problems by adding a feature of phone calls, especially with regard to telecommunications regulations and their relationship with emergency services. Specifically, VoIP calls do not allow calling 911, and emergency services generally require the payment of a monthly fee of $ 1 that would have to be paid by the user or by Google.
In addition, problemas of privacy they are evident when having a conversation through a speaker, something that, in reality, is not very different from using the speaker of any smartphone. The WSJ also notes another source of concern: "consumer anxiety to speak on a device that has the ability to record conversations."