"Google Home Max" Launched in the US--Large High-End Smart Speaker

On December 11th, Google released the "Google Home Max" smart speaker compatible with the "Google Assistant" in the United States in time for the shopping season at the end of the year.

Home Max, a high-end, large version of Google Home, will sell for $ 399 at Google Stores for the US, Best Buy, Walmart, and Verizon. There are two colors, chalk and charcoal.

Introduced in October with the new Pixel smartphone, Home Max uses a new technology called Smart Sound to adjust sound quality based on where it's installed in the home. When it is moved, it reconfirms its position and makes adjustments to output the optimum sound. There is a touch control on the top, and it can also be operated with the smartphone app.

Home Max is equipped with the Google Assistant, which allows you to perform tasks such as weather, to-do lists, and smart home operations with voice control. You can get information by asking "OK, Google, what's the weather today?"

Other specifications are as follows.

Home Max will compete with Amazon's Echo series, Apple's upcoming HomePod, and Sonos' new series of Alexa-enabled speakers. Juniper Research predicted in November that smart speakers will be used by 55% of households in the United States by 2022.

This article was edited by Asahi Interactive for Japan from an article from overseas CBS Interactive.