Is your wireless smart speaker actually wireless? The question came up during a conversation earlier this week. On the surface it sounds like the start of one of those circular debates that can quickly drive you crazy, but it has caused some confusion with consumers so I think it’s worth discussing.
Wireless Usually Isn’t ...Wireless
One of the fastest growing categories in consumer tech right now is wireless smart speakers. There were over 18 million of them sold over the holiday quarter. And the two key features that are being used to drive those sales are the “smarts” which is an integrated voice assistant like Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, and being wireless.
When you look at the marketing material, most of these smart speakers definitely look wireless. For example, in the photo below, there’s no sign of wires on that new Amazon Echo. Sonos --which recently gained Alexa voice control, making it a smart speaker contender-- promotes its line as being “the easy-to-use wireless home sound system.”
It's hidden, but that wireless Amazon Echo smart speaker needs a power cable.
Image copyright AmazonThe confusion arises when you unpack these smart speakers and discover there’s a great big power cable in the box. And without that cable plugged in, those “wireless” smart speakers are useless hunks of plastic and metal.
But Sometimes It Is
On the other hand, there are smart speakers that actually are wireless, at least for a few hours at a time. Options like the Libratone Zipp (Alexa integration is on the way), RIVA’s Wand Arena (with Google Assistant integration and optional battery pack), UE’s Megaboom (Alexa capable) and JBL’s Link series (with Google Assistant) offer smart speaker functionality. But you can unplug them from the wall and place them wherever you want. They’ll keep streaming music because they are actually wireless, at least until their battery runs down.
Libratone's ZIPP is an example of a wireless speaker that can ditch the power cable for true... [+]
The situation can be confusing for consumers, especially those looking to buy their first wireless smart speaker. They see the promotional photos of that Amazon Echo --with no power cord in sight-- and assume that because it’s wireless, they can pick it up and carry it out to the deck to listen to music while they grill.
Wireless speakers with batteries live up to the promise of the marketing shots. You can place one on a kitchen shelf or window sill to play music while cooking. You can set one on the coffee table in the middle of the room to provide music during a party. You can plonk one of these down on the deck or by the pool.
The Earbud Analogy
There was a similarly confusing naming convention going on in the earbud market. Everyone has been jumping on the wireless earbud train. However, the “wireless” part of that equation referred to the connection to a smartphone. Bluetooth connectivity means no wires.
But many wireless earbuds actually do have a wire that connects the two buds.
Because that was getting confusing --why do my wireless earbuds have a two foot long wire connecting them?-- the industry came up with a naming distinction. Now there is wireless and true wireless. With wireless, there is no physical connection to the streaming device. With true wireless, there are no wires, period.
Wireless and true wireless earbuds. Neither is "better" but it's important to know the difference.
Brad MoonTrue Wireless Smart Speakers?
Maybe something like this needs to happen in the wireless smart speaker market.
Wireless smart speakers don’t need to have a smartphone physically connected in order to play music or ask Alexa what the temperature outside is. True wireless smart speakers have the added advantage of not needing to be tethered to an electrical outlet.
It’s not that either design is bad, it’s just that using the same “wireless” term to describe both designs --combined with manufacturers' natural tendency to keep product shots looking neat and tidy by hiding those power cords-- leads to confusion.
