Google Home Mini release date, news and features

Google's Home speaker is starting to look a little bit lonely. While Amazon has forged ahead adding numerous smart speakers to its Echo lineup, Google has stuck with just the one speaker, and has seemingly been content to allow third-party companies to bolster the lineup with speakers such as the JBL Link 300. 

However, that's all changed at Google's Pixel 2 launch event, where Google announced the Google Home Mini, a new puck-sized smart speaker in the same vein as Amazon's low cost Amazon Echo Dot.

As expected, the speaker is a low-cost entryway into Google's smart ecosystem. 

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A smaller version of Google’s smart speaker
• When is it out? October 19
• What will it cost? It will cost $49 in the US and £49 in the UK

Google Home Mini release date

At its announcement, Google said that the new speaker will be released on October 19, with pre-orders opening today. 

Google also announced that the speaker would be coming to all territories that currently have the Google Home. 

A tweet from UK phone provider EE suggested that the speaker is coming to the UK on the same date as the US, although it stopped short of confirming this directly. 

Google Home Mini price

The Google Home Mini will cost $49 when it launches in the US and £49 in the UK. 

This is the same price as the Amazon Echo Dot, suggesting that Google has learned a lot from Amazon's low-cost competitor. 

Google Home Mini features

With an enclosure made entirely out of fabric, the speaker has an incredebly rounded design. 

There are four lights underneath the fabric, and its top can be tapped instead of saying 'OK Google' out loud. 

Google advertises that the speaker offers 360 degree sound. 

In terms of the functionality of the speaker, we’re expecting it to offer much of the same functionality as the full-size Google Home, albeit with a much smaller (and therefore likely weaker) speaker. 

Prior to its announcement, a leaked Walmart listing suggested the speaker will measure in at 4.53 x 4.53 x 4.72 inches (11.5cm x 11.5cm x 12cm), which is just a shade bigger than the Amazon Echo Dot’s 3.3 inch diameter and 1.3 inch height. 

The speaker will be available in three colors, Chalk (a slightly off white), Charcoal (a dark gray) or Coral (light pink). 

The cord present in the images suggest that the speaker will, like its bigger brother, rely on mains rather than battery power. 

Also prior to its announcement screenshots from someone living near the Google campus suggest that the speaker will unsurprisingly be set up in much the same way as the existing Google Home speaker through the Google Home app. 

• Here’s how to watch the Google Pixel 2 launch livestream

SOURCE - TECH RADAR posted by Campus94