Google to reportedly show off merged Android/Chrome OS preview, Chromescast ultra, Google WiFi on October 4

Google is holding an event on October 4, where the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are expected to be officially unveiled. But, if new reports are to believed, Google has more devices lined up for release as well/

These include Google Home, a Chromecast Ultra, and a new wireless router called Google WiFi. The report also mentions that, Google will also preview a new Android+Chrome OS merged operating system called Andromeda.

Google Home was first introduced at Google I/O event in May, but is yet to hit the market. It is a smart home hub, and Google's answer to Amazon's voice-controlled Echo speaker that can perform actions like play music, manage everyday task, check flight status, send texts, answer questions or turn off the lights of the room, when you give voice commands. According to Android Police, Google Home will be priced at $129, which is $50 cheaper than Amazon Echo. The pricing corroborates with a previous report that claimed Google Home will be competitively priced compared to Echo.

The next gen Chromecast is rumored to be called Chromecast Ultra and will come with 4K and HDR support. The media-streaming device is expected to cost $69.

Google WiFi is a WiFi router with smart features and will be cheaper than the OnHub routers, the company unveiled in partnership with Asus and TP-Link. The device will work in a mesh like system, allowing you to add more devices to extend network coverage and get a strong signal throughout your house. It will reportedly cost $129.

Lastly Google is also expected to preview Andromeda, which is code-name for the Chrome OS and Android merged operating system. We first heard about the merger last year when a WSJ report claimed that Google was planning to merge Chrome OS into Android. Now according to fresh reports Google is testing Andromeda on HTC's Nexus 9 tablet. The reference of Andromeda was found in the Android 7.0 Nougat AOSP in a file named "SurfaceCompositionTest.java", which is a low-level test result to measure graphics performance of a device.

Andromeda is mentioned several times in the file, and the tested device listed is Nexus 9. According to the tool, Andromeda will require a score of 8.0 to pass a device, and Nexus 9 managed to score 8.8.  By comparison, Android requires at least a 4.0. The report also mentions "free-formed window management" was referenced inside the code, which means this feature will be present in Andromeda, and the merged OS is likely aimed at tablets and 2-in-1 devices.

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Kaiser Bey

Kaiser is a tech enthusiast who likes to write, read and talk about tech. He dreams of going to Mars and never come back. We hope that you find his posts on AndroGuider helpful and informative