> can you not think of any advantage that google could gain from their smart speakers other than the nefarious ones?
There is literally no advantage that you won't pay for. The commission you just mentioned? Your money. The advertisement they show you? Your rational decision being attacked. The browser they let you download for free? Your choice of a suitable alternative. They are not evil, mind you, but they are also not your friend or partner. They make money, lots of it, and that money comes from your pocket.
the price isn't going to be lower without the commission. the price is set by what people will pay. if a comission doesn't go to google, the money will just go to somebody else. it was my money, but if i'm booking a trip that same amount will be paid.
Google isn't my friend, or my partner, but nor are they my enemy. They're just competing with all the other entities who want some piece of every purchasing decision I make, and the best way to do that is to be a bit more convenient and a bit more available than somebody else, rather than engaging in elaborate conspiracies or trying to make me angry at them.
There is literally no advantage that you won't pay for. The commission you just mentioned? Your money. The advertisement they show you? Your rational decision being attacked. The browser they let you download for free? Your choice of a suitable alternative. They are not evil, mind you, but they are also not your friend or partner. They make money, lots of it, and that money comes from your pocket.