Google announced an iPhone, a Gear VR, an Echo, and an Eero

[Becky]

You might have seen in the news that Google held a product launch event this week, and unveiled a range of new products. In a slightly tongue-in-cheek article, The Verge has been taking a look and explaining the similarities between these products and others which are already on the market:

Everybody copies everybody. It doesn't mean they're "out of ideas" or "in a technological cul-de-sac" — or at least it doesn't necessarily mean that — it does mean they want to make money and keep users. It's actually one of my favorite elements of the tech industry. It's self-regulating in a small way, because there's a certain shame to, say, copying GoPro or Meerkat or Snapchat or Dropbox, but sometimes a product category or feature is just irresistible.

At today's Pixel event, Google hit a lot of pre-existing categories and features with its own Google-branded hardware. And to clarify once more, because I don't want to be misunderstood: I'm not saying this is bad or dumb or unethical or boring, I'm just saying it's kind of obvious where the "inspiration" came from.

Source

The new products include the Google Pixel & Pixel XL (smartphones), Daydream View (VR) headset, Chromecast Ultra (capable of 4K streaming), Google WiFi (a router), and Google Home (smart home assistant - like the Amazon Echo).

Read more about them at The Verge.

 

[V_R]

I was going to get a Pixel XL, but they can go do one if they think they're worth >£800 (128GB XL)

The Pixel is either £599 or £699 for 32GB or 128GB respectively.
The XL is £719 or £819.

Taking on the iPhone they said. Well you got the price bit right at least.

Oh and lol at the iVerge, Apple fanboys through and though. That said it does look awfully like an iPhone doesn't it....