Google Home makes non-US debut in UK on 6 April

Nieuws Breedband Verenigd Koninkrijk 28 MAR 2017
Google Home makes non-US debut in UK on 6 April

Google Home and Google Wifi will make their debut outside the US on 6 April, when both products are launched in the UK.

Home, a hands-free smart speaker, and Wifi, a mini wireless router designed to optimize connectivity throughout the home, will be available from the company's own online store and certain retailers, both starting at GBP 129.

Available at Argos, Dixons, John Lewis and Maplin and coming soon to UK operator EE, Google Home is a modular device featuring both a microphone and speakers allowing users to interact with the company's new Assistant app to play audio and video content from the internet or obtain information from online sources.

The cylinder-shaped device is available in seven colours and add-on bases will be available on the Google store for GBP 18 for fabric and GBP 36 for metal.

Home can also be used to control a Chromecast or Android TVs.

Google Wifi will be available on 6 April for GBP 129 for a single unit and GBP 229 for a twin-pack from Dixons, Argos, Maplin and John Lewis and will be coming soon to Amazon. With multiple units in the home, Google claims users can enjoy optimum throughput as they move around, seamlessly connecting to the strongest available signal.

Google said Home will feature content from UK sources such as  BBC, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Sun, The Telegraph, Huffington Post, Sky News and Sky Sports as well as "hidden treats" aimed at British consumers.

As well as playing audio content from Google Play Music, Spotify, TuneIn plus live radio from the BBC, Google Home can control lights and smart switches from brands including Nest, Philips and Samsung SmartThings. 

Both products were launched in the US in October 2016.

The smart speaker market is currently dominated by Amazon's Echo line and Google has not revealed any data on sales of Home to date but a study published in February predicted that a third of US homes are likely to own this type of device by 2022 when the market will be worth USD 5.5 billion.

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