Smart Speaker is a market that is slowly booming in countries like India. Even as the market declines in bigger nations like China, a report by techARC shows that the shipments exceeded 1 million units for the first time in India.

According to the report, Q4 2020 is said to have contributed to 40% of the Smart Speaker shipments. Overall, it is occupied by giants like Amazon, Xiaomi, Google, and Apple. Among these, Amazon leads the market with a whopping 79% Market Share(by Vol. of Units).

You can take a look at the Top-5 Best-selling Smart Speakers(Descending Order – Units of Sales) below:

• Amazon Echo Dot(3rd Gen)
• Amazon Echo Dot(4th Gen)
• Google Home Mini
• Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker L09G
• Amazon Echo Dot(3rd Gen with Clock)

Amazon launched the Echo Dot(4th Gen) last year in September. It is currently retailing for ₹3,999 in India. Combined with Alexa, Echo Dot performs a variety of functions that is useful for consumers.

Report says that the US Giant will cement its position further in the under ₹5,000 segment despite competition from Chinese brands.

Speaking of which, Although Google is third on the list, Xiaomi has managed to outsell it and occupy second place in the overall market share by Value. If we recall, 2020 was the first year for Xiaomi to enter into the Smart Speaker category in India. It launched the Mi Smart Speaker for ₹3,499($48) in the country.

This price was well balanced compared to the Google Home Mini‘s launch price. Accordingly, the report says that Xiaomi manages to ship 75,000 units in the first year and captures 8% of the market share. Google, on the other hand, gets an 11% share in unit shipments but drops down to 7% in value.

Apple also had a share of its shipments with HomePod Mini dominating 84% of Apple’s 2% overall smart speaker shipments in 2020.

Looking forward, the smart speaker segment is said to grow further with a 35% YoY growth in the next 2-3 years. Watch out for the category below ₹5,000 as the competition is said to reach the next level by the arrival of other brands.

RELATED:

• China Smart Speaker market sees slight decline in 2020: IDC
• Get Mi True Wireless Earphones 2C for FREE on purchasing Mi Smart Speaker in India
• DXOMARK China picks best Smartphones and Smart Speaker in different categories

(via)

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It has been nearly two years since Google announced the Home Mini, a portable smart speaker powered by the Google Assistant. According to new reports, Google is developing a new device called the Nest Mini which should be the successor to the Home Mini.

If you have been following the news regarding Google’s smart home products, then you should know why its upcoming speaker is called the Nest Mini and not Home Mini 2. Google announced back at Google I/O that it will be changing the names of its smart home products from Google Home to Google Nest. For example, the Google Home Hub is now known as the Google Nest Hub.

Coming back to the Nest Mini, the speaker is said to come with some significant feature upgrades. According to 9to5Google, the smart speaker will have better sound quality with a higher maximum value and better bass. It has also been reported that it will also feature a built-in wall mount.

The biggest addition coming to the Nest Mini is the 3.5mm audio jack. There are speculations that this will allow users to connect the speaker to external speakers with better audio quality. It may also be for audio input.

Another feature the Nest Mini will have is proximity awareness. It is said the proximity sensor will show the volume the speaker is when you get close enough. Unfortunately there is no mention of the Nest Mini having a built-in battery.

The Nest Mini is also said to come in new color variants different from those of the Home Mini. There is no info on pricing but it is assumed it will sell for $49 just like its predecessor. Promos and deals should see interested users get it for less than that price.

(Source)

UP NEXT: Google Assistant floors Siri and Alexa to emerge as the smart assistant with the highest IQ

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The Google Home Mini launched last year and is the cheapest Google Home device. When it launched it was available in three colors – Chalk, Charcoal, and Coral. Yesterday, Google announced a new color variant called Aura.

The new color is subtle but should add just the right amount of color to your home. Nothing has changed under the hood, so you still get the same Gooogle Assistant features. Also, the price hasn’t dropped from the $49 Google is asking for the other color variants.

With the new color variant launching just a week before the Google event, it is safe to say we are not getting a second gen Google Home Mini. Google’s biggest rival, Amazon, on the other hand recently announced a bunch of new Echo devices including a 3rd-generation Echo Dot. The Echo Dot is the Google Home Mini’s direct competitor.

READ MORE: Third-Gen Google Chromecast gets sold ahead of official release

The new Aqua color variant will be available on the Google Store and at Walmart later this month.

(Via)

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Google is ready for the launch of several new hardware products at an event on October 9 in the New York City. A couple of days ago, Chromecast 3rd edition was leaked by a Redditor showing some of its design changes. Today, we have got another leak which is showcasing the same new Chromecast with Home Mini in a new Google ‘Smart TV Kit’ pack. It is not for the first time that Google is bundling its products, this time they have given it a name of ‘Smart TV Kit.’

A Reddit user LitheBeep has posted the image of ‘Smart TV Kit’ box. He figured that it packs a new version of the Chromecast and everything else is similar to the old bundles. It’s clear from today’s leak and the leaks in the past that Google is coming with a Chormecast 3rd edition at the launch event on October 9.

Further, we are expecting a Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL with high-end specs and inbuilt AI support. There’s also some reports of a new device known as with the name of Google Home Hub. It’s a display device powered with Google Assistant as leaked in various rumors before.

Check more about October 9 Made by Google event: Google schedules event for October 9 and these are what we expect to be announced

Additionally, Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL is expected to carry Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with a full-view notch display on both the devices. It will bring 4GB of RAM and is expected to ship in different storage variants of 64/128/256 GB. It will board with the fingerprint sensor on the rear side, rather than the ongoing trend of the on-screen fingerprint sensors.

Let’s see what happens on October 9th, as nothing is confirmed for now. By the way, what are you expecting from the Made by Google event next week? Share with us via the comments below.

Source

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In an attempt to take on Amazon in the smart speakers market in India, Google has launched its own smartphone speakers — Google Home and its mini variant Google Home Mini in India at a launch event in New Delhi.

The Google Home is priced at Rs. 9,999 (approximately $153) while the Home Mini is priced at Rs. 4,499, which roughly converts to $69. Both the speakers will be available for purchase in India online exclusively through Flipkart and select offline stores, including  Reliance Digital, Chroma and others.

The Google Home will be available in Chalk color, whereas the Google Home Mini will come in Chalk and Charcoal colors. While the company has launched Home and Home Mini, the Google Home Max has not been launched in India. However, there’s a possibility that the company could bring the Home Max to India at a later date.

Those who purchase the device will also receive free six months of subscription for Google Play Music and some special offers from Gaana and Saavn Music. Further, there’s also a 10 percent discount if the speakers are purchased using HDFC credit card. Furthermore, Flipkart, as well as few offline stores, are also offering a free JioFi router on the purchase of Google Home or Google Home Mini.

The smart speakers, which are powered by Google’s voice assistant, Google Assistant, are capable of performing a range of tasks, from playing music and checking traffic to reading out news and recipes.

The company says that the speakers have been tweaked for India and Google has also roped in local news partners for providing headlines through the device. Users will be able to access various apps using the device, as well as IoT devices.

According to Google, it has partnered with more than 200 brands for bringing support for more than 1500 devices, which can be controlled via the Google Home series of speakers. The devices also respond distinctly to more than one user as they come with a Voice Match feature, allowing each user to access their music, calendar and other services based on their voice profile.

Read More: Google Pixel 3 Makes First Appearance in AOSP, Hints At Improved Networking

In India, the newly launched Google Home and Home Mini will go up against Amazon’s Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Plus, which starts at Rs. 4,499 (approximately $69) and are powered by Amazon’s own smart assistant — Alexa.

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Last year, Amazon launched its range of smart speakers in India, including Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Plus. Now, Google is preparing to launch its own smart speakers in India — Google Home and Google Home Mini.

Earlier, we reported that Google is expected to launch its smart speakers in India this month, based on a communication shared by Redington India with its retail partners. Now, the company has sent out media invites for the launch event scheduled on 10th April.

In the latest development, the company has hinted that the devices will be available for purchase exclusively through India’s homegrown online marketplace Flipkart. Google has teased this through Twitter. In a tweet, the company said — “Listen to your favourite tracks without lifting a finger. Just #MakeGoogleDoIt, at home. Register on the Flipkart App to know more.”

Other reports suggest that Google has also added support for Indian-origin music streaming apps Gaana and Saavn, along with its default Google Play Music. Furthermore, the Google Assistant is also set to receive support for Indian English in the coming days. Recently, Hindi language support was rolled out to Google’s virtual assistant.

The Google Home smart speaker was first introduced by the search engine giant back in 2016 in the United States. With the help of the company’s own Google Assistant, the smart speaker can perform various actions like music playback, weather/ time information, setting alarms and reminders, answering queries, and making lists among others.

There is currently no information regarding the pricing and availability details of the speakers in India. We are speculating the Google Home to be priced around Rs. 9,999 (approximately $154) and the Home Mini to cost around Rs. 4,499, which roughly converts to $69.

Read More: Google Pixel Mid-Range Phone May Launch in July in India

Google’s competitor in this smart speakers market in India, Amazon Echo is priced at Rs. 9,999 and the Echo Dot and Echo Plus are priced at Rs. 4,499 and Rs 14,999 respectively.

(Source)

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According to a communication shared by Redington India with its retail partners, Google Home and Home Mini will be officially launched in the peninsula in April 2018. After the giant from Mountain View rolled out a new update to Google Assistant which adds the support to the Hindi language, it seems that the new smart speakers are going to hit the shelves in the world’s second highest smartphone market. The launch comes after Amazon made its Echo smart speakers (Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot) with Alexa available to purchase in India back in October.

So, there will be a big competition between Google and Amazon, and it is actually hard to establish which company will get the biggest share. Actually, Alexa still cannot understand or speak Hindi, and given that Google Assistant already supports this language, this may be an advantage for Google Home and Home Mini in India. However, according to the latest tests of the virtual assistant, the Hindi support is still not perfect. While the Media Accounts on Google Assistant already support some of the most important music streaming services in India (such as Saavn and Gaana), the vocal commands to interact with these services are still not available.

RELATED: Google Takes The Plug Off Its URL Shortener Service But Existing Links Will Still Work

But we believe that when Google Home and Home Mini will be officially launched in India there will be no issues and the software support will be complete. The two smart speakers have recently been launched in my country (Italy) with prices of €149 and €59, respectively. The Indian price of the smart accessories based on Google Assistant is still unknown at the moment. The only difference between Google Home and Home Mini is the audio quality, as the smart features are exactly the same. And, obviously, the Mini version is smaller as the name suggests.

(Via)

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The Google event kicked off with the usual speech by the CEO and a bunch of stuffs Google has been working on. For the product launch, the first two products announced are the Google Home Mini and the Google Home Max.

We already knew about the Home Mini before today. We had seen images and also learnt about the price, however there was the mention of another Home product, the Google Home Max.

Google Home Mini

The Google Home Mini is the perfect device for those who just want to introduce the assistant into their home without shelling out so much. It is also a good addition for those who already own the Google Home but need extra smart speakers in the home.

The Google Home Mini works just like the regular Home. Ask it questions, control the smart devices in your home, set reminders and do a whole bunch of other stuffs.

The Home Mini is covered with fabric and looks like its made for just talking to, but you can actually tap on it for a number of functions. Tap the center to play/pause, tap the left and right edges to reduce or increase volume, and long press to activate assistant.

The Home Mini has a 40mm driver for 360 sound and far-field voice recognition. It has dual band WiFi support and Bluetooth. Sadly, the Google Home Mini still needs to be connected to a power outlet. There is a micro USB port at the back and a 5V/1.8A in the box.

The Google Home Mini works with both Android and iOS and will retail for $49. It comes in Chalk, Charcoal, and Coral. You can purchase it now but shipping won’t start till October 18.

Google Home Max

The Google Home Max can best be described as a woofer with an AI assistant. Its main function is to serve as your primary music playing device before anything else.

The Home Max has two 4.5-inch woofers for deep bass and two 0.7-inch custom tweeters for highs. They are covered with an “acoustically transparent fabric” and housed in a polycarbonate body. There top of the device is a touch surface that serves a bunch of functions such as volume adjustment, assistant activation, playback control, and to turn the mic off. Just like the Home Mini, there are four LEDs that light up when its active. The Home Max is big – measuring 13.2-inches wide and standing 7.4-inches tall. It’s also heavy at 5.3kg (11.7lbs).

One cool feature that makes the Google Home Max stand out is Smart Sound. What it does is to adjust the way you listen to music by adapting to its environment. So no matter where you place it, you are getting the best audio experience. Change the position of the speaker while its playing and all it needs is a few seconds to adjust the audio experience. Is the washing machine or blender on while its playing? It will automatically increase the volume.

You can ask it to play songs from YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play Music. You can also play songs over Bluetooth or just connect another device via the aux jack. There is an AC power outlet at the back and even as switch that turns off the assistant, so it doesn’t come on when you say “Hey Google”.

The Google Home Max can also perform all the functions of the other Home devices but to be honest, if you are not a music lover, the Max isn’t for you.

READ MORE: Google Likely to Announce, “Made for Google” Certification Program for Third Party Accessories for Pixel 2, 2 XL

Google has slammed a $399 price tag on the Google Home Max. That price includes a 12-year ad-free subscription to YouTube Music. It will come in Charcoal and Chalk and will be available in December. Right now, you can go ahead and join the waiting list and Google will notify you when its available.

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Google had done a good job of keeping the upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones under the wraps throughout the year. However, the entire specifications of both phones have surfaced in the past few weeks. The leaked press renders of Pixel 2 duo have also surfaced earlier in this week. Few hours ago, the Google Home Mini smart speaker that is expected to get unveiled on Wednesday was made available on pre-orders on Walmart. The listing not only contained images of the Home Mini but also it featured an image of the Pixel 2 XL. The pre-order listing on Walmart was taken offline quickly, but 9to5Google was able to download the images of both devices.

The above image of the Google Pixel 2 XL that has surfaced through Walmart shows that it features a white rear and a black colored front. The glass that is laid on top of the display seems to a bit curved at the edges.

The bottom side of the phone features a USB Type-C port and its front-facing dual speakers are also visible. The screen has rounded corners. Even though the side bezels do not appear very slim, they seem to be thinner than the bezels of the predecessor phone. Rumors have revealed that the Pixel 2 XL is an LG-made device that features a 6-inch display that supports QHD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 18:9.

As previous reports have revealed, the Google Home Mini is a smaller edition of Google Home smart speaker. It was listed with a pricing of $49 on Walmart.

Read More: Google Pixel 2 Launch Event: How to Watch Livestream and What to Expect?

The Home Mini that is powered by Google Assistant can answer queries, control the smart home, play music and share weather info. It measures 4.53 x 4.53 x 4.72 inches. The pre-order page of Google Home Mini had revealed that its shipping will begin on Oct. 19.

As far as Google Pixel 2 XL is concerned, recent reports have revealed that its 64 GB and 128 GB models will be respectively priced at $849 and $949. Even though the Pixel 2 XL will be unveiled on Wednesday, its shipments are rumored to begin on Nov. 15. The Google Pixel 2 is rumored to be respectively priced at $649 and $749 for 64 GB and 128 GB storage models. Its shipments are rumored to begin on Oct. 19.

(via 1. 2)

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Google has a big launch event scheduled for tomorrow at San Francisco. Apart from unveiling Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones, the search engine giant will be also showcasing other devices. Here is what our readers can expect from Google Pixel 2 launch event:

How to Watch Google Pixel 2 Launch Event?

As mentioned above, the event will take place at San Francisco and it will begin at 9 AM PST in the U.S. The event will be also livestreamed on the official “Made by Google” YouTube channel.

Viewers in the U.K. can view the livestream at 5 PM BST. In India, it will be viewable at 9:30 PM IST. In China, the Pixel 2 launch event livestream will be viewable at 12 AM on Oct. 5.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Plenty of information on the Google Pixel 2 duo have been revealed ahead of its launch. Readers can visit the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL rumor roundup article to known everything on their expected specifications, features, and pricing. Earlier today, reliable tipster Evan Blass has revealed the leaked press renders of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. The 64 GB and 128 GB Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are rumored to carry respective pricing of $649/$749 and $849/$949.

Google Pixelbook and Pixel Pen

The rumored Pixelbook is a convertible device that can be used as a laptop as well as a tablet. It is speculated as a premium device that will be running on Chrome OS. Its 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB models are tipped to arrive with respective pricing of $1,199, $1,399 and $1,749. Google is rumored to sell an optional Pixel Pen stylus worth $99 for the Pixelbook.

Google Home Mini and Daydream View VR

A smaller version of Google Home smart speaker dubbed as Home Mini is also pegged to debut tomorrow. Unlike the regular Google Home, its mini version may not be a wireless device. The Google Assistant driven miniature smart speaker is expected to cost $49 and it is likely to come in multiple color options.

The Daydream View VR will be enhanced version of the original model that was launched in the previous year. It Is expected to arrive in multiple colors along with a motion controller. The device is expected to be priced at $99.

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Google’s upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL flagship phones are launching on Oct. 4. The rumor mill has revealed almost everything on the upcoming Pixel phones from their specifications to pricing. Here is a rumor roundup on the upcoming Pixel smartphones.

Design and Display

The leaked renders of the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones have revealed that these phones will be arriving with a two-tone design on the back panel. One-third of the rear panel will be made up of glass and the remaining portion is pegged to be made up of metal. Last year’s Google Pixel phones had the fingerprint scanner placed inside the glass portion. However, upcoming Pixel 2 phones are rumored to feature the fingerprint reader in the metallic portion.

The IP67 certified chassis of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will protect them from damage from water and dust. The Pixel 2 duo are unlikely to feature the standard 3.5mm audio jack, but are pegged to arrive with dual stereo speakers on the front panel. The Pixel 2 is expected to come in colors like Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White whereas the Pixel 2 XL may be available in Black & White and Just Black color variants.

The Pixel 2 is speculated to resemble the original Pixel phone whereas the Pixel 2 XL is rumored to have a full-screen design like the LG V30. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are rumored to feature a pressure-sensitive frame like HTC U11. The feature is rumored to be called Active Edge. Squeezing the Pixel 2 or 2 XL may allow users to perform certain actions such as activating Google Assistant and dismissing alarm.

The Pixel 2 is speculated to arrive with a 4.97-inch OLED display that will support FHD resolution. The Pixel 2 XL is rumored to be fitted with a 5.99-inch OLED display that may deliver a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels along with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Pixel 2 XL’s display is expected to support Wide Color Gamut and offer a screen-to-body ratio of around 80 to 85 percent.

Chipset, Storage and Battery

The Snapdragon 835 SoC along with 4 GB RAM are rumored to be present under the hood of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. These phones are expected to arrive in storage sizes like 64 GB and 128 GB. Like the original Pixel phones, the Pixel 2 duo are unlikely to feature a microSD card slot. The Pixel 2 may come equipped with a 2,700 mAh battery whereas the Pixel 2 XL may house a 3,520 mAh battery.

Camera and Software

There is no information available on the exact camera configuration of the cameras that will be available on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. However, both the phones are going to feature the same rear and front cameras. The rear cameras of both phones are speculated to carry support for Optical Image Stabilization.

The Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL are rumored to arrive with Android 8.1 Oreo preinstalled. It is expected to bring some new features like a redesigned Pixel launcher, portrait mode feature on Google camera app, and Always-On Display. Google Lens that will allow users to point the cameras of the Pixel 2 phones to any object to get relevant information is speculated as one of the killer features of Pixel 2 duo.

The presence of e-SIM inside the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will allow users to easily switch between networks of different carriers of the U.S. through Project Fi. The search engine will be providing free unlimited storage on Google Cloud until 2023 for Pixel 2 and 2 XL buyers.

Pricing, Launch Event and Livestreaming

The 64 GB and 128 GB Pixel 2 are rumored to be respectively priced at $649 and $749 and the same storage models of Pixel 2 XL are speculated to respectively cost $849 and $949.

The launch event of the Pixel 2 duo will be held at San Francisco begin on Oct. 4 at 9 AM PST in the U.S. The event will be livestreamed here. It can be viewed at 5 PM BST, 9:30 PM IST and 12 AM on Oct. 5 in China.

Through the Oct. 4 launch event, Google is also expected to unveil Google Pixelbook, Home Mini smart speaker and Daydream View VR and Google Assistant powered headphones. The rumor mill is also talking another Google phone called Ultra Pixel that is expected to rival with Apple iPhone X. However, it may not get unveiled with Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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Google is holding a launch event on Oct. 4 to unveil the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones. The search engine giant is also speculated to unveil some other new devices such as Google Home Mini smart speaker, new Daydream View VR and one more thing… Google Pixelbook convertible laptop.

Google Pixelbook

According to Droid-Life, the next Chromebook from Google will be called Pixelbook. It will be a convertible device that will can be used as a laptop and also a tablet. The specifications of the Pixelbook is still under the wraps. Shown below is the first image of the Pixelbook.

The Pixelbook will be coming in three storage sizes such as 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB. These models will be respectively priced at $1,199, $1,399 and $1,749, claims the publication. The device will be available in Silver color only.

The Pixelbook would be supporting the Pixelbook Pen that will be sold separately with a pricing of $99. It will be a pressure-sensitive stylus that will carry tilt support and offer lag-free experience. More information on the specifications of the Google Pixelbook is expected to surface in the coming weeks.

Google Home Mini

The same publication claims that a smaller version of Google Home smart speaker will be also unveiling on Oct. 4. The device is expected to arrive in colors like Chalk, Charcoal and Coral and it would be priced at $49.

The leaked press renders of the Google Home Mini suggest that it won’t be a wireless device. It can be used for scheduling, setting reminders. grabbing news and more. The four dots that can be seen above the device will provide feedback when the user interacts with it.

Google Daydream View VR

Google is also expected to announce a new VR device that will be called Daydream View VR. It will be an improved edition of the predecessor model. It is expected to carry a pricing of $99 and is expected to come in colors like Charcoal, Fog and Coral.

Read More: Fully Functional Google Lens Spotted Before Official Launch; Pegged to Debut with Upcoming Google Pixel 2

Google’s upcoming event will be held at 9 AM PT | 12 PM PT on Oct. 4. It will be held at the SF Jazz Center that is located San Francisco.

What do you think about the Google Pixelbook? Will it be able to give tough competition to the new iPad Pro? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source 1, 2, 3)

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