A mini Google Home, speculated to be launched alongside the Pixel 2; could face-off with Echo Dot

Google plans on unveiling a lite version of its Google Home smart speaker according to a report by Android Police. This unveiling will possibly be alongside the much-anticipated **Pixel 2** smartphone and a new laptop being showcased by Google says the report. [caption id=“attachment_3951365” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Google Home.[/caption] All though details about this new **Google Home** are scarce it is possible that it will compete directly against the Amazon Echo Dot. Even though Amazon has **swept the smart home market** with its Echo , which comes built-in with the Alexa voice assistant, Google has not been far behind with its Google Home smart home device. The Amazon Echo Dot  is a toned down version of the Amazon Echo, having its basic built-in audio features and the Alexa voice support. It can be expected that this mini-Google Home will function along the same lines. Not much information is available currently at this point. As for news of the upcoming Pixel 2, HTC has requested certification for a device labelled NM8G011A.  Android Police notes that the G in the ID represents Google and confirms that HTC is indeed making at least one of the upcoming Pixel devices. It may feature the HTC’s ‘Edge Sense’ squeezing gesture. Google is preparing to release two Pixel devices this year. The smaller Pixel 2 will be made by HTC and the larger Pixel 2 XL is likely to be made by LG as has been  pointed out by The Verge.