Voice control systems lead smart home trends at CES 2018

Competition among the leading voice assistants has given risen to smart home devices compatible with two or more platforms.

The integration of voice technology in smart home devices has been a big hit in 2017 and it continues to get even bigger at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2018) in Las Vegas. And with companies lining up to take advantage of this popular technology, competition among the leading voice-based assistants, namely Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple's Siri, is at an all-time high.

This rivalry has led to the emergence of a new batch of smart home appliances that can be controlled by more than one voice platform.

Among the highlights in CES 2018 is the Alexa- and Google Assistant-enabled Smart Front-Control Range oven from Whirlpool. LG's ThinQ artificial intelligence platform, which the South Korea-based electronics company announced will be integrated in all its smart appliances, also run on both voice control systems. GE, meanwhile, unveiled the C Smart Ceiling Fixtures, supporting all three voice assistants.

Another rising trend are devices with microphones and speakers required for voice interaction built-in, eliminating the need for a separate smart speaker.

Volume buyers, however, may need to wait a while longer for these features to reach mass production. Although Internet capability is among the main factors driving the smart home appliances market in past years and in the future, compatibility with multiple voice control systems is a fairly new concept in the industry. Additionally, smart speakers have become a staple of every smart household and the market has yet to show signs of slowing down.