How to SMS on a smart speaker

Why not use the VoLTE multi-device functionality for SMS?

In my previous blog entry I argued how the multi-device functionality of the operator’s VoLTE network can enable making and receiving voice calls on various smart speakers. The main advantage of this solution is that it enables you to extend your mobile phone number to your smart speaker and thus choose on which device you want to receive or make calls.

But what about SMS? If your start making calls on your smart speaker, why not use it to send and receive SMS as well. Especially considering that text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities are already quite good and getting even better with time.

Operators have the capabilities to solve this issue as well. By forking SMS in their core networks, they can make sure that you receive your SMSs both on your phone and on your smart speaker. To make this into a perfected user experience, for example also including synching all your sent and received messages between your smartphone and the different devices you use, would also need development by the device eco-system.

Watch our demonstration at Mobile World Congress 2018

So, while you are baking a cake in your kitchen, your hands full of sticky dough, it would be convenient to get your latest SMS read out loud by your smart speaker, and you can also reply to your SMS by dictating to the smart speaker.

Our Ericsson team put together an innovation demo for this at Mobile World Congress 2018. Watch a video of the demonstration below!