To be clear, GLAS still seems like a Microsoft-first device. It’s built on the Windows 10 IoT Core and Azure and is proving Alexa and Google Assistant primarily for convenience. Assumedly, it will also be able to take advantage of the Alexa via Cortana integration, which launched recently.
Moving Away from Smart Home
Though Microsoft provided Johnson with the backbone for its thermostat, it’s unlikely to be too miffed by this development. The Redmond giant is angling Cortana away from convenience and towards assistance. Meanwhile, Google has a huge reach with its assistant due to baked-in functionality in a number of Android phones. As a result, it makes sense for GLAS to let users interact using their PC or optional smartphone app, with added support for speakers if they require it. Either way, the device is visually stunning and promises unrivaled energy via schedule monitoring. It’s available for pre-order now for its $319 release on August 24.