Google Home now makes free phone calls in UK
"Hey Google, call Mum."
Brits can now make free phone calls with a Google Home speaker.
Launched in the US last year, the feature allows you to call your contacts just by asking the device. It even works if your phone isn't nearby.
The Home and Home Mini are Google's entries to the voice-activated smart home device market. You can use it like a landline phone by saying "Hey Google, call mum" (or whoever). It then places the call over Wi-Fi, which is why it's free. Unlike the Amazon Echo , which can only dial out to an app on the other person's phone, Google Home calls any mobile or landline number like a regular phone.
Update your Home to get the new feature. In theory the speaker should recognise up to six voices, so if your other half or flatmate says "Call mum", you shouldn't have to worry about being put through to a confused alternative mother. Of course, that depends how thick your accent is.
