Google Home and Google Wi-Fi coming to the UK on 6 April at £129 each

You have Google everywhere else, why not have it listening in at home and on your network as well?

Google is planning to release a duo of home automation and Wi-Fi products in the UK next week as it bids to catch-up with the lead established by Amazon and others.

Google Home is the company's home personal assistant rival to Amazon Echo. It will go on sale on 6 April offering integration with the Google ecosystem via Google Assistant, currently rolling out to newer Android devices.

Google WiFi, which launches on the same day, is the company's whole-home Wi-Fi router, offering mesh connection between units for better coverage.

Google has confirmed localised partnerships with providers, including the BBC, Sky News, the Financial Times, The Sun and The Guardian. It also offers smart home integration with its own Nest thermostat product, SmartThings and Philips Hue, with many more offered via IFTTT.

It has also been confirmed that UK-based smart home company Energenie and German thermostat maker Tado are among companies that will be offering integration with IFTTT ahead of full integration soon.

Google Home also offers a briefing that combines weather, calendar and news, as well as drawing on other Google services to create a home system capable of controlling Chromecast playback and connected speakers.

Google Wi-Fi will use meshing to improve the signal of each unit placed around the home, as well as defaulting to Google DNS servers for low latency, and the whole thing is controlled by an app. It can turn off individual units at different times, so you could, theoretically, limit your childrens' access at bedtime.

However, the bad news all this comes with a significant mark-upcompared to the US. Google WiFi is £129 for one unit, and £229 for two. Compare that with $299 (£237) for three in the US.

Google Home units are £129, slightly cheaper than a full-price Amazon Echo, but significantly more than the Echo Dot, for which there is nothing similar. Coloured interchangeable bases to match your interior decoration scheme decor comes in at £18 for fabric or £36 for metal.

Google has also confirmed that as well as proper UK English recognition and a UK voice, the Assistant will also have a few UK Easter eggs to find as well.

Products will be available from all good department and electrical stores, such as John Lewis, as well as Argos, Dixons, Maplin, EE Stores, and the Google Store.