The giant $ 400 Google Home Max Smart Speaker has been discontinued

Illustration for article titled The Giant $ 400 Google Home Max Smart Speaker has been discontinued

Photo: Adam Clark Estes / Gizmodo

Debuting in 2017, the Google Home Max was a hi-fi alternative to the original Google Home smart speaker, which promised better sound but still provided access to Google Assistant. It was large, quite pricey at $ 400, and of our tests, not as loud or booming as you’d expect, so Google has done what Google is good at and discontinued the product.

According to EngadgetGoogle has confirmed that the Google Store has officially sold out the remaining stock of the Home Max, and that the company is no longer producing units. Existing users of the product won’t stay dry though, as Google also promises it has no plans to end support for the smart speaker anytime soon, and will continue to release software updates and security fixes as needed.

Since its release, the Home Max has seen discounts and promotions as Google strived to get its smart speaker products in as many homes as possible, but it has never been as affordable or accessible as the smaller Google Home Mini and Nest Mini speakers. Once you’ve found a deal, you can fill your home with eight or more of Google’s puck-sized smart speakers for what the Home Max costs.

The final blow to the Home Max, however, was likely the release of the original Google Home’s successor, the Nest Audio smart speaker. At $ 100 it is still the best sounding cheap smart speaker you can buy now. You can fill an entire house with great sound for $ 400 and pair the Nest Audio with other devices for an immersive stereo sound experience. On top of that, Google Home Max also faced stiff competition from Apple’s HomePod released in early 2018, which was $ 50 cheaper and offered a more seamless listening experience for iOS users using the Apple Music streaming service.

If you still want one, you better get comfortable with eBay and Craigslist.

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