Google took to the stage for their Made by Google event, and while everyone anticipated new things from the Google Pixel line of phones, they brought out a fully new Google Home offering, the Mini.
This new small home assistant promises all the power of the full-size Google Home only in a device the size of a doughnut. The small cloth covered device, while smaller than the big offering, still manages to pack in 360 degrees worth of sound, a touch- and voice-activated operation, all within an attractive small package. Users can expand this further with Chomecast enabled speakers, making it great for people wanting to build a full home audio environment, that don’t want to invest in Sonos like devices.
Google has opted for an almost fully fabric design, coming in three subtle, yet attractive colours. The top of the unit still has the iconic four lights that let you, as the user, know that Google Home is working on your request. The durable, yet soft fabric ensures it looks attractive in most home environments.
Google Home Mini is a smart way for Google to expand the Google Home experience to more rooms. With the cost of $49 USD it is priced in line to compete with the lower-priced devices in the Echo family of products. The battle for the AI assistant is heating up, and Google is poised to capture a significant market share at this low price point.
The Google Home mini will be launching on October 19, 2017, and can be pre-ordered starting today. The Mini will launch in all current markets Google Home is available in, and will be coming in the choice of three colours: grey, red, and black, or as Google calls them, chalk, coral, and charcoal.
Along with the Google Home Mini, they also announced the more powerful and advanced, Google Home Max. The larger speaker allows for a much more vibrant and robust sound offering. Similar in look to the Sonos Play:5, the Home Max is slated to launch in December for $399 in the USD, with other countries following later.
Liked this article and want to read more like it? Check out more stories from Brendan Frye, such as the Future of Xbox One – an interview with Xbox Head of Operations, Dave McCarthy, and his interview with Destiny 2 Art Director, Jesse Van Dyke!
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