Google is building competitor to the Amazon Echo Show, says report

Google is developing a clandestine home device to compete with the Amazon Echo Show, according to a new TechCrunch report. The device is supposedly codenamed "Manhattan."

Google's forthcoming home device is reportedly similar to the Echo Show, in screen size and capability. In case you didn't already know, the Echo Show is a tabletop smart device that incorporates Amazon's intelligent personal assistant, Alexa, allows for video calling, and plays music through some pretty good Dolby speakers.

According to TechCrunch's sources, the Google home gadget will offer Google's version of similar features, such as Google Assistant and video calling. One important difference, however, is that Google's "Manhattan" would be able to play YouTube videos, a feature that Google just pulled access to from the Amazon's Echo Show.

The move to block YouTube content on the Echo Show was largely unexpected. "It was a surprise to us," Amazon's senior vice president of devices Dave Limp told Mashable at the Echo product event on Wednesday.

There's a chance, though, that YouTube will eventually become available on the Echo Show. When reached for comment, a YouTube spokesperson told Mashable, "We’ve been in negotiations with Amazon for a long time, working towards an agreement that provides great experiences for customers on both platforms."

Similar to the other Amazon Echo devices, Google's current home assistant, Google Home, lacks a screen. The "Manhattan" product, then, would give Google customers another reason to stick with Google-made home devices, despite the allure of Alexa playing jams and displaying song lyrics on the Echo Show's screen.