Jordan O'BrienGoogle Home is officially coming to the UK, with the release date currently scheduled for sometime in the spring.
Thus far Google has remained quiet about when its Amazon Echo competitor will launch in the UK. The Google Home debuted in the US late last year, but the search engine refused to say when it’ll be headed to other shores. That’s despite the Google Assistant powering Google Home is already available in a number of markets, including the UK through the Google Pixel smartphone.
Google confirmed its spring launch plans in a comment to Engadget, although an exact launch date is still as of yet to be determined.
Despite the late launch, the search engine giant believes that Google Home will offer significant benefits over the Amazon Echo. It already has the power to control Chromecast devices and it recently gained voice purchasing capabilities in the US, meaning it should at least rival Amazon’s offering when it lands in the UK.
Pricing details have yet to be confirmed, but the Google Home can be picked up in the US for $129. The device has regularly been on offer since its launch, however, although that’s not to say the UK will see similar deals.
A straight USD to GBP conversion would put the Google Home at around £105, although it’s rare to see a conversion based on the exchange rate. That hasn’t stopped Amazon, however, which offers the Amazon Echo in the UK for just £149.99, despite a US asking price of $179.99. A straight swap in that circumstance would equal around $145, not far off the UK RRP.