ZTE Launches the Smart Voice Alliance
ZTE, a Chinese mobile handset manufacturer, last week established the Smart Voice Alliance and announced the 5A protocol, a voice-controlled technology alliance for mobiles. This partnership includes other leading enterprises in the industry such as: Audience, Nuance Communications, AutoNavi, Baidu, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
This strategic alliance's main purpose is to integrate all of the existing voice technologies to establish a standard platform that will enable a stable and fast-paced growth for the whole industry in all levels and permit a gradual migration from touch screens to voice-controlled devices.
The first industry-wide standard protocol 5A has been based on five principles to establish a set of guidelines for development across the entire sector. Those principles are:
- Anyone: Giving users customized configuration;
- Anyhow: By enabling users with fully smart controls;
- Anytime: That it can be used whenever required in any weather type or particular situation;
- Anything: By including in its data bank ten million terms; and
- Anywhere: Allowing use under any type of environment and in any circumstance
The commitment of the 5A protocol is to ensure that the highest standards of research and development are to be used, and special attention is given to enhance end-user experience and satisfaction.
"ZTE believes that voice control is the future of smart mobile phones, and it has already become ZTE’s core strategy," said Adam Zeng Xuezhong, CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices and executive vice president of ZTE, in a statement. "However, the current mode of touch screen control is deeply rooted in the behavior of users. Change can only come when voice control becomes more practical."
"We are thrilled to join the Smart Voice Alliance, which will drive the development of thoughtful and compelling voice innovations for the global market. The 5A protocol showcases ZTE's continued leadership in bringing more intelligent mobile experiences to market across its mobile portfolio," said Michael Thompson, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile, in a statement.
"As the leader in advanced voice and audio processing in mobile devices, Audience is aligned with ZTE's vision that voice control will play a key role in the future of smartphones, and we are honored to be a member of the new Smart Voice Alliance," said Robert Schoenfield, Audience's vice president of worldwide sales and managing director of China, in a statement. "We look forward to working closely with the alliance members to create voice-enabled platforms that deliver an outstanding user experience for mobile consumers everywhere."
The expectation is, that by the end of 2014, the entire process of voice recognition will be finished to offer a complete experience, from the moment the mobile is activated and through with the running applications all achieved by voice control. This breakthrough will represent a great leap for the mobile technology world.
Voice control, Zeng added, "will without a doubt make touch-controlled devices a thing of the past. The new experience of voice control will give users a more convenient and intuitive tool for their everyday lives."
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