
Welcome to the first instalment of the series Voice First Buzzwords Explained. First up: multimodal.
WHAT DOES MULTIMODAL MEAN?
A REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE OF MULTIMODAL
The most popular example of a multimodal device is the Echo Show. Others include Google Nest Hub and Lenovo Smart Display. Most people think multimodal means screen-based device, like the examples above. However, multimodal also includes our mobile-hosted assistants. Another term which can be used interchangeably with multimodal is voice-first. Smart speakers are built to have voice as their primary input method.As Vixen Labs co-founder JP tweeted: …we often skip over voice on mobile which has been around for way longer. Folks forget how GOOD (yes good!) Siri and Google Assistant have gotten
WHAT DOES MULTIMODAL MEAN IN PRACTICE?

WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY MULTIMODAL?
1. Usability
2. Brand Identity
HOW WILL YOUR ORGANISATION MAKE THE MOST OF MULTIMODAL?
Amazon’s biggest weakness today is its mobile strategy… there are few people using the Alexa app while on-the-go.This is precisely why the updated smart speaker and new wearable announcements were so exciting.

because when Voice is accessible in different ways, “we can begin to do much more than help with hands-free tasks and accessibility. We can go beyond novelty into true utility.” (JP again.)