JBL's Latest Soundbar Brings Android TV And Google Assistant To Your Big Screen

by Shane McGlaun — Monday, May 07, 2018, 04:55 PM EDT

Harman has announced that JBL and Google are working together to develop the JBL Link Bar. At a glance, the Link Bar looks just like any other soundbar you might sit on the entertainment center near the TV, but this sound bar has some other cool features that are firsts for the market. Google talked the device up ahead of the Google I/O developer conference in California this week.

This is the first soundbar in the industry that is powered by Android TV and has Google Assistant integration. The big deal with this device is that it allows folks with a perfectly good TV or a home theater projector setup to add both features without having to replace the TV or projector.

All the JBL Link needs is an HDMI connection to operate. Once connected, users will be able to say "Hey Google" to the soundbar and search for all the video content you might associate with a Chromecast device right on the TV. When you aren't using the TV, the JBL Link doubles as a Google Home device. It also supports multi-room soundbar technology. JBL Link Bar is set to land this fall with pricing announced closer to launch.

Tags: Google, Audio, home theater, jbl, Android TV, (nasdaq:goog), google assistant

Shane McGlaun

Shane has been into tech since his dad brought home a Pong game when he was a toddler. A passion for gaming led to a passion for PC tech and hardware. That passion was eventually turned into a career writing about cool gadgets, computers, and automotive technology for some of the biggest publications online and in print. Shane also has a passion for the outdoors and when not writing about tech can be found hiking the trails of Colorado whilst keeping an eye open for nefarious rattlesnakes and bears.

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