According to a BusinessWeek report, most TV manufacturers are currently preparing voice command enabled TVs in an attempt to counter the yet-unannounced Apple TV. Samsung, LG and Sharp are mentioned in the report.

Voice enabled TVs – the future?
 Apple is rumored to release a flat panel TV with Siri voice recognition functionality. But other TV manufacturers are also looking to introduce voice enabled TV interfaces.


Voice-enabled controls might replace traditional remote controls in the future, picture credit: Businessweek

Microsoft has already introduced a voice-enabled Kinect interface but Samsung, LG, and Sharp are also working on voice-enabled TVs and boxes, according to BusinessWeek. Mike Thompson from Nuance Communications, the world’s largest voice recognition technology supplier, says that “a wave” of device makers will ship products with voice systems next year.

With voice systems, users can tell TVs to “play the latest episode of The Simpsons” or “Record all episodes of Friends”. A voice system has the potential to replace the remote control as we know it and with more and more Smart TV functions inside TVs, it is time to move on.

Mike Thompson from Nuance Communications continues to say that some TV makers are also working on interactive remote controls that look more like iPhones with touchscreens rather than buttons.

Vlingo, an App maker, has already introduced voice Apps for smartphones and they will announce its first voice recognition product for TVs at CES 2012 in Las Vegas this January. Read the interesting article at BusinessWeek here.