MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google on Wednesday introduced Google Home, a voice-controlled, Internet-connected speaker that competes directly with Amazon’s smart speaker, Echo, which costs $180. The company also introduced Allo, a messaging app, and a rebranding of its virtual assistant.

Here’s a quick explanation of what these major announcements, made at the Google I/O developer conference, mean for consumers.



What do Home and Echo have in common?

Home and Echo are both speakers that require a wired power connection. They stream music and perform tasks like web searches, adding calendar appointments and looking up movie showtimes over an Internet connection.

What are the differences between Google Home and Amazon Echo?

Google has yet to share many important details, including a price tag, about Google Home, which is scheduled for release this fall. However, from the announcement we can glean a few differences:

Home, which can easily be held in one hand, is shorter and more compact than Echo.