Skip to main content

Google Home Max smart speaker moves into retirement

Google is discontinuing its Home Max, a smart speaker designed for the discriminating audiophile. Only the black and white models are still listed on Google’s website, and they are both described as being out of stock. The connected speaker inventory has been depleted, and it reportedly won’t be restocked.

Google may be sunsetting the Home Max smart speaker, but the company still intends to support existing owners. “Existing Google Home Max users shouldn’t worry, as they won’t see any change in their service,” said a Google spokesperson in a statement. The company said it expects to continue to deliver “great sound and whole-home audio features” by releasing software updates and security fixes for its Home Max product. We’ve reached out to Google to confirm the discontinuation of the Home Max and the future support options, and will update this story when we hear back.

Google’s Home Max smart speaker went on sale in December 2017 with a $399 price tag. Its main competitors were Apple’s $300 HomePod and the high-end Sonos Play:5. While Apple is still selling the HomePod alongside the new HomePod mini, the Sonos speaker has been discontinued.

Google hasn’t abandoned the smart speaker market; it has adjusted its lineup to reflect consumer demand for smaller and less expensive intelligent speakers. The company is now selling the Google Nest Audio, which launched in October 2020. The Nest Audio is a powerhouse speaker with outstanding audio performance and a design that fits in with any decor. A speaker for music with a robust virtual assistant, it works for both Android and iOS owners. The Nest Audio supports more than Google Play Music — Apple Music recently landed on the smart home device.

Editors' Recommendations

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
The smart home market might see big changes in 2023
Apple HomePod 2023 next to a TV.

The smart home market is arguably the strongest it’s ever been. Apple recently reintroduced the HomePod to rave reviews, Roborock is gearing up to launch its new lineup of powerful robot vacuums, and nearly half of U.S. households interact with a smart home gadget every month. That’s an impressive number, and it’s an increase from 2022 -- meaning the market is trending in the right direction, and folks seem to be buying into the dream of an interconnected household.

This incredible market saturation means it’ll take a long time for the smart home market to completely vanish -- and its death probably isn’t going to happen this year (or anytime soon). But the rest of 2023 will be an interesting year for the smart home industry, as Amazon and Google have run into financial issues with their smart home offerings, while Apple finally seems to be gaining momentum.
Money trouble at Amazon and Google

Read more
During spring cleaning, don’t forget smart home security
A physical lock placed on a keyboard to represent a locked keyboard.

With warmer weather sweeping across the nation, folks around the country are using spring as a time to clean their homes and declutter all the junk they’ve accumulated during the dark, dreary winter months. And while organizing your home is a great way to ring in the spring, consider taking a few minutes to perform a bit of smart home spring cleaning, too.

From upgrading your gadgets and changing your passwords to enabling two-factor authentication and performing software updates, here are a few ways to expand your spring cleaning chores to your smart home.

Read more
Is a DIY smart home security system better than a professional one?
Arlo camera installed outside.

When it comes to protecting your home, your options all boil down to two different categories -- DIY smart home systems or professionally installed hardware. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, but determining which is best for your home isn’t an easy decision. And with so many products on the market from companies like Google, Arlo, SimpliSafe, Vivint, and Yale, the decision becomes even more stressful.

Here’s a closer look at both DIY smart home security systems and professional security systems to help you figure out which is best for your property.
Installation costs and ongoing fees

Read more