Tech

Google is said to launch new laptop, smaller Google Home, this fall

Key Points
  • Google is reportedly building a new laptop to debut this fall.
  • The company is also apparently working on a smaller Google Home speaker.
  • The devices will launch alongside Google's new Pixel smartphones, according to a report.


Google Vice President of Product Management Mario Queiroz shows the new Google Home during Google I/O 2016 at Shoreline Amphitheatre
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

Google is building a new laptop and a smaller version of its Google Home smart speaker, according to a report from Android Police.

The site said Google's new laptop will be a "Pixel-branded Chromebook." Chromebooks run Google's Chrome OS operating system, which it has tried to market to schools as low-cost alternatives to Windows and Mac devices.

Google's Pixel laptops aren't usually that affordable, however, and have been marketed toward developers. Since Pixel has become Google's hardware brand, however, perhaps this will be a more consumer-focused product.

The smaller Google Home speaker may be a play to take on the Amazon Echo Dot, a smaller version of the Amazon Echo that costs just $50. The device is often on sale for as low as $35, and could allow Google to attract folks to its products who might otherwise buy the more affordable Echo Dot.

Google has put a lot of emphasis on its Siri competitor, known as Google Assistant, that's available on Android phones and on the Google Home. It allows users to stream music, cast movies to a nearby Chromecast-enabled TV, check traffic and more. Sacrifices will likely need to be made in order to keep the cost of a smaller device down. In the Amazon Echo Dot, that meant lower quality speakers.

The devices will reportedly launch at an event Google is planning to host this fall, where it is also expected to unveil its new Pixel smartphone.

Google did not immediately reply to a CNBC request for comment.