Google’s Wednesday event saw a lot of new products with the all-new “Made by Google” tag including the new Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, and new Pixelbook. The event also saw the new Home Mini and Home Maxdevices being announced alongside other updates on the product front. One of the biggest news that was buried due to several product launches was an all-new third-party accessory certification programme. Google announced that Made for Google already have 25 brands as partners.
Under the new Made for Google programme, third-party accessories will sport the “made for” badge on the packaging so that users know it has been certified to meet the company’s compatibility standards. Some of the partner brands part of Google’s new certification program includes Incipio, Belkin, Casemate, Monster, Panzer Glass, OtterBox, Griffin, and Invisible Shield among others. You can expect to see “made for” badge on the packaging of these devices.
Soon after the launch event, Google also listed some of the third-party accessories on its official site. Like Apple, Google has now ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack and will be using the USB Type-C port for both charging and music. Since the launch, what has been making headlines is the price of Google’s official USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapter. While Google ships one adapter in the box, what if you lose it, or want another one for your car? You can buy one standalone, however, the price tag is $20 – almost double the price what Apple offers its own adapter. For those unaware, Apple’s Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter is priced at just $9.
Separately, one of the first ‘Made for Google’ accessories is the Moshi USB-C to 3.5mm Adapter/ Charger, which lets users listen to music and charge their Pixel 2 smartphone at the same time. It costs whopping $45 (roughly Rs. 3,000). It’s really surprising to see a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter costing as much as a budget Android smartphone.
[“Source-gadgets.ndtv”]
