Google’s portfolio of smart speakers currently consists of four items, the newest being the Nest Mini from October 2019. The original Google Home today is “no longer available” for the nearly four-year – old Assistant device from the US Google Store to a possible end.
The Google Home was first shown at I / O 2016 as the big foray the company made into the emerging world of smart speakers and assistants. It got another unveil that October at the inaugural Made by Google keynote, and finally went on sale for $129 on November 4.
Drawing physical comparisons to an air freshener, the Google Home consists of a slanted top surface that doubles as a volume, play / pause control surface and provokes Google Assistant. The latter was also possible via “Ok Google,” with the company adding a physical button to disable the microphone on the rear. That privacy switch remained available across all subsequent speakers and Google’s Smart Displays.
In the meantime, the bottom was a magnetically attached “Base” which could be swapped out. It was a nifty way to customize your Google Home, available in fabric or metal, although the concept never really took off. Google just provided more default colors for future devices.
There is a 2-inch driver on the spec front + dual 2-inch passive radiators with two microphone array that are still listening for the hotword. It also connects to other speakers via Wi-Fi, with Bluetooth 4.1.
As of today, the Google Home is listed as “No longer available” by the US Google Store (via Android Police). That said, the product listing has not been removed, and the device is still displayed alongside other speakers. The “Coral” Base fabric, meanwhile, is “out of stock,” but the two metal variants remain available.
The US Google Store, recently discounted at $99, has likely exhausted its original Home inventory and is no longer receiving new stock. The UK Google Store still sells the device, while Canada has a waitlist. The Google Home is available to most retailers on the Stateside.
If this is permanent, the Nest Hub — which has just seen a $89.99 price cut — becomes Google’s default assistant device. The Home / Nest Mini remains the most affordable option, while those looking for more can choose between the Max Hub or Max Home.
