The Google Home “Quartz” is an upcoming Home device with a display
Before the Pixel 2 event took place and we saw the new Google Home Mini and Max announced, there were rumors that Google was working on another variant of Home which included a display. This rumor was compounded by the fact that Google removed the ability for Amazon Echo Show users to watch YouTube videos from the home assistant. Unfortunately, the Pixel 2 event came and went with no mention of another new Home product which would feature a display.
Thanks to a new APK teardown from at Android Police, it seems that Google is actually preparing this new Home device thanks to some clues hidden in the code for the updated Google app. According to the teardown, the codename for the new Google Home is “Quartz” and there are mentions of this codename all over the code for the Google app.
Some examples come in the form of voice command prompts, along with the ability to set timers, control media, check the weather, and more. However, the biggest hint of the display comes thanks to new code being used to control YouTube with nothing more than your voice. The teardown suggests this is a new layout dedicated to YouTube on Google Home, something that is possible with the help of a Chromecast but could be more useful if the Home product has a built-in display.
Personally, I can see the usefulness of something like the Amazon Echo Show or this Google Home “Quartz”, but my biggest concern will be the design and the price tag. I doubt that Quartz will be priced as high as the Google Home Max, but there’s really no telling at this point in the game.
Let us know what you think about this new Google Home device and if you’d be interested in snagging one for yourself.