Are voice apps the next “App Store” opportunity?

First posted on Reddit.com/r/entrepreneur

A while back I signed up for Amazon’s Echo beta test, and I’ve had an Echo ever since, constantly listening! I left the default name Alexa, as that sounded more natural than saying “Amazon”, and lets be honest its hard not to build some sort of relationship with a named computer. Cortana and Siri are much more fun at telling jokes than “Hey Google”, even if the jokes are better.

While perusing through my Amazon Echo app, I stumbled upon the “Skills” page. Reading through a few of the “Skills” I realized that they were no more than apps, just without GUI. Does the Amazon Echo have an App Store? The Echo may be a bit in the “early adopters only” zone still, but where are the other voice command systems at? As far as I know Google, Siri, and Cortana do not have an app store for developers.

Amazon is passing the threshold into crowdsourcing the development of “Alexa”. Now, I’m a full believer that AI will be taking over the back end of any voice command systems, but anytime soon? I doubt AI will take the place of human “app” development for voice command apps for a least a couple of years, if we’re lucky.

There will still be room for apps to be made to hook Alexa up to other services such as calendars, project management software, search engines, social media, etc. I think Amazon has pulled ahead by opening up “app” development for their Echo (Alexa). Not that they will assuredly be the winners, but they’ve positioned themselves well.

What are your thoughts? Do you think voice command apps will have any value, like the app store did for turning Apple’s smart phone into a Mary Poppins bag of tools and distractions? Do you think Voice commands are a fad? (It’s pretty clear that they’re past that) Do you think things will develop too fast to make an app store useful? The real question is if there is an opportunity here.

I’ve already installed a Google Calendar app, a daily affirmation app, and a “founding fathers” quote app.