Google Unveils New Chromecast, Pixel Phones And Smart Speaker

Google unveiled several upgrades to its devices during a presentation Wednesday.

Google TV and Chromecast: Google GOOGGOOGL unveiled an all new Chromecast. The new Chromecast with Google TV comes with a remote for the first time.

The demonstration showed a minimalistic remote with only a few buttons, but dedicated ones for YouTube and Netflix, Inc. NFLX.

With Google TV, a person’s voice also serves as a remote. Voice search can go across all apps on the TV and even sync to home security cameras.

The search across multiple apps and remote could help the Chromecast better compete with Roku Inc ROKU. The new Chromecast costs $49.99.

Users can add films or shows to their watchlist from their phones.

Google showed off its cable-free live tv programming called YouTubeTV with a rap that featured all the channels included. YouTubeTV also comes with unlimited DVR and has a family plan that carries up to six accounts.

Today at our virtual #LaunchNightIn, we introduced our newest lineup of helpful devices from across Google, including two new smartphones, Pixel 4a (5G) + Pixel 5, Chromecast with Google TV, and our latest smart speaker Nest Audio.https://t.co/ddDvhxHmql pic.twitter.com/o2IRuL40uc

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) September 30, 2020

New Pixel 5 Phones: Google unveiled an update to its popular Pixel 4 and its new Pixel 5. Both phones will feature 5G at an affordable price. The Pixel 4A starts at $499 and the Pixel 5 starts at $699.

Both new phones feature Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm Inc QCOM. The new Pixel 5 is water-resistant, has wireless charging capabilities and comes with a battery life of up to 48 hours.

Both phones are available for pre-order with Oct. 15 listed as the available date.

Verizon Communications VZ ended an exclusive Pixel deal with Google in 2019. The carrier is still specifically listed on Google’s website where it offers three options of Verizon, Google Fi (unlocked) and all major carriers (unlocked).

Having 5G capabilities for the phone depends on the carrier, which could explain why Verizon gets top billing as it has confirmed it will offer 5G on the phones.

Android Authority reports that Google had its best sales year for its Pixel line in 2019 with an estimated 7.2 million units sold. This total was mostly made up of Pixel 3A phones. Google said sales of the Pixel 4 were strong during Wednesday’s presentation.

Smart Speakers: The new Nest Audio smart speaker comes with a purchase price of $99. A demonstration showed how customers can connect multiple speakers together throughout their home. The new speakers will be available starting Oct. 5.

The price point and the connected home setup put the Nest Audio in competition with Sonos Inc SONO.

Price Action: Shares of Google closed flat on Wednesday at $1,469.