Bang & Olufsen has today confirmed pricing and availability for its upcoming BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2 speakers which both feature Google Assistant. Of the two new arrivals, the BeoSound 1 will be the first to arrive as it is due to become available in “key markets” in mid-September. In terms of price, the BeoSound 1 will cost $1,750 in the US, €1,500 in Europe, and £1,250 in the UK. The BeoSound 2 on the other hand will not become available until October and will come with a price tag of $2,250 in the US, €2,000 in Europe and £1,650 in the UK.
While these clearly are high-priced items, they are designed to be premium quality speakers both in terms of the audio and the design. This is also extends to the features in general with the two speakers offering more than just voice assistant support. For example, the speakers come with four ‘smart’ buttons which the user can individually assign for specific tasks. Some of the examples given include the ability to instantly start a specific playlist, or designate a button as a ‘calendar button’ which when pressed will verbally provide feedback on calendar events for the day. In terms of the difference between the two, besides the price, the BeoSound 1 is more aimed at those looking for a portable audio solution as this one can be used away from a wall socket thanks to the inclusion of a built-in rechargeable battery. In contrast, the BeoSound 2 is more designed to be a stationary unit in the home and will require constant powering via a wall socket. Although the BeoSound 1 and 2 speakers have only just been officially announced today, this follows on from an announcement by the company during this year’s CES event where Bang & Olufsen made its intentions clear to release a number of new products powered by the Google Assistant.
For reference, Bang & Olufsen is defining those “key markets” as the US, the UK, Canada, Japan, India, Mexico, Singapore and Australia. While European launch countries will include Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain. The country list is highly dependent on Google Assistant availability in general due to this being one of the main features. As a result, Bang & Olufsen has stated the plan is to launch the products in more countries once Google Assistant further expands its global reach.