ZTE has teamed up with a number of industry partners to form a voice controlled technology alliance.
The companies have formed the Smart Voice Alliance, which aims to establish the “5A” protocol, a standard platform for voice controlled technologies.
Announcing the partnership, ZTE said the alliance will seek to pave the way for the gradual migration from touch screens to voice controlled devices.
The alliance will represent companies ranging from from manufacturers of handsets and voice control products to content providers and software designers. Founding members include Audience, Nuance, AutoNavi, Baidu, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The 5A protocol will seek to establish guidelines for devices that include smart controls that can be used in any environment or circumstance.
The Smart Voice Alliance will aim to establish a databank of 10 million terms for voice recognition software. It also plans to develop a voice recognition system capable of providing complete control of a smartphone from the moment it is activated.
“ZTE believes that voice control is the future of smart mobile phones and it has already become ZTE’s core strategy. However, the current mode of touch screen control is deeply rooted in the behavior of users. Change can only come when voice control becomes more practical,” ZTE Mobile Devices CEO Adam Zeng Xuezhong said.