The end of "voice assistants"? I think so, in that this news seems to herald their demise in their current form at least.
All vendors seem to have failed to monetise "the spy in your home", due to intense competition and the "free [or to be correct: cheap] as in you're the product" business model. I seriously doubt we've seen the last of this tech though, but I can't see it ever becoming a business success as a standalone device.
Like the tablet in the early 00's, it may have come too soon - in another decade when there is more accompanying/reliant tech, then these devices could make a comeback.
To compare with smartphones - the real salability of those, is all based on how reliant people have become on them and not the novelty value.
And like an MP3 player or digital camera, this "home hub" tech, is really the kind of tech that could be integrated into a smartphone or a TV, rather than as a separate device.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022...ion-this-year/