Google Home launched in the UK earlier this year, joining Amazon’s Echo and Dot devices in the burgeoning digital assistant/smart speaker space.
Amazon has been upping its product output throughout 2017, adding in new products like the Amazon Echo Show, so as to better position itself as the dominant player in the space during 2018.
Apple’s HomePod will get a release in Q4 and that should shake things up further, bringing more competition and new users into the fray. Apple’s betting big on high-quality audio, a thing both Echo and Home lack.
This is why Google is likely developing a new Google Home product, currently dubbed Google Home Max – it’s all about improving the audio performance, giving audiophiles something they can believe in.
“We’re not sure on its feature set or design,” said 9to5Google, “but we’re told it has stereo speakers, which likely means a singular unit with dual mid-range drivers and perhaps a single tweeter — or some similar setup. In terms of its outer appearance, we’re only told that it’s ‘premium’ in both design and materials. And yes, a source said that Google Home “Max” is certainly a tentative name.”
It sounds as if Google is building something similar to SONOS’ Play:3, though Google’s speaker will likely retail for a lot less than SONOS’ setup, which is very much a premium speaker system.
This new Google Home Max speaker was leaked alongside a variety of other, new Google products, which included: the PixelBook, a pair of smart headphones, and a smaller, cheaper version of Google Home (think Amazon Dot, just made by Google).
How far along this product is, however, remains to be seen. Google would be wise to get it launched now and out in time for Christmas, as this is the biggest sales period of the year. It is also when Apple’s HomePod launches too.
Either way, the bottom line is this: Google is committed to expanding Assistant’s reach inside your home. As I noted earlier this year, these speakers are merely the tip of the iceberg; Alexa and Assistant are about WAY more than just speakers.
They are the technologies that will power the future inside all kinds of devices and product lines, from cars to TVs, to clothes and cars.
This is just the beginning.
by rgoodwin via Featured Articles
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