LG Launches Smart Speakers With Google Assistant & More in India

LG has launched a slew of Bluetooth and smart speakers for the Indian market this month.

LG’s first smart speaker, W& ThinQ comes at a steep price. 

(Photo: The Quint)

LG has launched its first smart speaker in India and this device supports Google Assistant voice capability via your smartphone. High-end speakers aren’t available in abundance and LG is looking to make the most of the situation with its W7 ThinQ speaker that has been priced at Rs 27,990.

In addition to this, LG has launched a slew of Bluetooth speakers with support for voice commands, that are priced from Rs 10,990 going up to Rs 22,990. The sub Rs 5,000 speaker market is the one that is popular in India, but LG along with other brands like Sony and JBL are looking to change the trend by pushing the demand for products that cost more than Rs 7,000.

We spend some time with the new speakers from LG and here’s what we found.

LG has joined hands with Meridian from the UK to offer speakers with high audio quality. Meridian is traditionally known for its high-end speakers that cost as high as Rs 4 lakh and are also seen in luxury four-wheelers like Jaguar Land Rover vehicles among others.

Prices

• LG PK3: Rs 10,990
• LG PK5: Rs 14,990
• LG PK7: Rs 22,990
• LG W7 ThinQ: Rs 27,990

This is the LG PK5 with built-in LEDs that groove with the music.(Photo: The Quint)

The Bluetooth speaker has a robust look to it, even though it can only handle splashes of water. The woofers are built-in and you can feel its sensation from the outside with these layers on both the sides.

Thumpers on the side of all the Bluetooth speakers. (Photo: The Quint)

The cheapest of the lot doesn’t get the flashy LED lights built in, but you can take a dip inside the pool with the speaker, thanks to its IPX7 rated design. LG claims that buyers in India like speakers to be loud and peppy, but with these new ones, it promises better audio output with bass at the forefront.

The PK7 is the biggest speaker of the lot.(Photo: The Quint)

Speaking of quality, the bigger the speaker you go for, the better the bass output becomes and that means extra bucks spent to buy them as well.

Extra button for extra bass? (Photo: The Quint)

The speakers also have an ‘Enhanced Bass’ button to amplify the bass, which works to a minimum effect. Fair to say that LG is banking on the Meridian partnership to work the magic with these devices.

Smart is the Way to Go

This speaker looks similar to the design of the Mac Pro. (Photo: The Quint)

Coming to the W7 ThinQ, this speaker gets built-in support for Google Assistant which is accessible via the Google Home app on a user’s smartphone. This ensures that you can listen to music via apps like Saavn or Gaana that can be paired with Google’s voice assistant.

It is built in a cylindrical form wrapped in a mesh design body and the volume controls placed at the top of the unit.

The mesh design of the W7 ThinQ ensures better audio output. (Photo: The Quint)

You can also do other Google tasks like search for information on the web, look for weather updates and directions to a nearby restaurant.

This versatility is accessible when you pair both the phone and the speaker to the same Wi-Fi network. The audio quality of the W7 ThinQ is decent, but nothing that justifies its Rs 28K price tag to be honest.

Looking at all these products, LG has a tough fight against known and established music gear brands like Sony, JBL and even Bose when you look at these prices. Will buyers feel convinced to shell out big money just because Meridian is offering the audio technology for these products? We’ll know soon.