Best Buy's Deal To Showcase Amazon, Google

(RTTNews) - Best Buy announced Wednesday its plans to introduce Amazon Alexa and Google Home experiences to its 700 locations across the U.S. starting next month, as part of its strategy of pushing smart home technology. The company expects to complete a nationwide rollout by the end of the year.

The electronics retailer will expand space at selected stores to better showcase how Amazon's Echo and Google Home interact with other smart home technology it sells such as Philips Hue smart light bulbs and Nest thermostats.

The 10-foot-by 4-foot Amazon and Google displays will feature Amazon's new Echo Show and Google's new Home, which will be located near Best Buy's existing smart home department. Products nearby that can interact with these voice-enabled devices include Nest thermostats, Philips Hue lighting, Insignia Smart Plug, and more.

The displays won't be as large or fancy as Best Buy's current store-within-a-store arrangements of Samsung and Apple, and will be staffed by Best Buy workers.

Amy College, senior vice president of merchandising at Best Buy, in a news release, said, "Smart home, especially voice technology, can meaningfully change and improve the way we live our lives. In collaboration with Amazon and Google, these experiences will help people understand and use this ground-breaking technology to make their lives safer, easier and simply more fun."

According to Best Buy, its trained "Blue Shirts" will adequately demonstrate the products and Geek Squad Agents will help with installation and set-up.

Best Buy recently announced a major new partnership with Vivint, a company that installs home monitoring services and solar panels.