Looking for the best smart speaker? We round up the top voice assistant-enabled music players you can buy.
The best smart speaker offers more than just a way to enjoy your favorite albums and playlists in all their glory – they also feature a built-in voice assistant. As well as pausing and skipping tracks for you, so you don’t have to reach for your smartphone, a smart speaker can also provide the weather report or sports scores and answer your burning questions. The best smart speakers come with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri built-in. Smart speakers manufactured by Amazon, Google, or Apple – the brand’s behind these voice assistants – only come with access to their own voice assistants. However, models from third parties such as Sonos and Bose offer a voice of which voice assistant is used on the speaker. The best smart speakers can only offer audible responses to your queries, unlike the best smart displays that feature a screen and can serve up visual interpretations as well. However, smart speakers come in both mains-powered or portable options with a rechargeable battery so you can take it on the go, whereas smart displays are only mains-powered. Although if there’s no Wi-Fi connection close by, these portable smart speakers do require mobile data, usually accessed via a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, for the voice assistant to work. Smart speakers can also be used as an intercom in your home – great for telling the kids dinner is ready – as well as offering the ability to make audio calls to friends and family, too. They can even be used to get some of the best smart home devices to work together.
