Google, JBL create first sound bar with Android TV, AI assistant

The new sound bar lets users voice control TVs, music and other media easily.

The fusion of different products into one device can be the next hottest trend in home entertainment in the coming years. Big brands Google and JBL have already stepped up to make the first sound bar equipped with Android TV and AI assistant Google.

The innovation, known as the JBL Link Bar, is an amalgamation of a sound bar and a voice-controlled set-top box, which is among the most popular home entertainment technologies today. The HDMI-compatible JBL Link Bar allows users to issue voice commands for music and other media, and for switching in a breeze from TV to gaming console to other input modes, channels, movies and more.

According to The Verge, the JBL Link Bar, might be the first of its kind up for release, but there are other home audio devices with the said features poised to be rolled out into the market soon. An example is Sonos’ soon-to-be-announced home theater speaker that is reportedly voice-controlled, HDMI-ready and able to control TVs too. It has Alexa as the voice assistant but Sonos has plans to add more options for this soon, per the report.

Google and JBL will market the new sound bar this fall. The release and other companies following the trend is another milestone in audio products, showing how these devices can function well as smart home control hubs.