Google Home, the Amazon Echo rival it announced at Google I/O earlier this year, could undercut its competitor by launching at just $129.
According to Android Police, Home’s release date and pricing will be confirmed at a Google launch event on October 4, and the device will be joined by an upgraded ‘Chromecast Ultra’ that supports streaming 4K content.
There aren’t firm details about the full feature set of either device, but the next-gen Chromecast might not be flying off the shelves like the previous generation if the reported $69 price tag is accurate. At nearly twice the cost of the full HD option, and 4K remaining a relatively exclusive option for many people, it won’t make the quite the same Christmas gift as first time around.
Google Home, however, is an interesting proposition that’s looking to be the entertainment and home automation hub that controls all your in-home devices. It’ll also be able to respond to queries in a similar way to Google Now on an Android device and recognise conversational queries using natual language processing.
Naturally, it should also play nicely with all your other Google devices, like that new Chromecast Ultra and any Nest devices you have at home.
We’ll have to wait for the full details to be revealed at the launch event.
Related: Trusted Verdict: Our most important Google I/O 2016 moments
Watch: Google I/O 2016 Highlights
Will you be upgrading your Chromecast? Are you interested in Google Home? Let us know in the comments below!
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
