Amazon and Google fight crucial battle over voice recognition

Amazon and Google always thrive in the fourth quarter as people get out their wallets for Christmas. Both companies – or in Google's case, its parent group, Alphabet – are therefore expected to announce booming revenues in their fourth-quarter results over the next fortnight, with Alphabet going first on Thursday and Amazon the following week. But analysts are already looking beyond the simple question of how many cardboard boxes Amazon filled and how many searches Google answered. They're wondering which company will win the battle to control your home. That battle is being fought by two carafe-sized cylinders from the respective companies.