At I/O 2018, JBL and Google introduced a new hybrid device called the Link Bar. In addition to being a premium soundbar, the two companies worked together to pack the Google Assistant and Android TV into this one device. Unfortunately, pricing and availability weren’t announced at the time, but a later pre-order listing for the JBL Link Bar set the price at $400. Those pre-orders were eventually canceled, and we heard little about the device again until July 2019, when it finally became available for orders. As you can see from our hands-on video above, the Link Bar can act like a standalone Google Assistant speaker and a set-top box running Android TV. But just like the Assistant integration in the Nvidia Shield, users can direct Android TV to open specific apps and play various pieces of content with vocal commands. It also works as a Bluetooth speaker and a Chromecast. JBL Link Bar release date and availability The JBL Link Bar finally went up for sale from JBL directly on July 10, 2019. That’s roughly 14 months since the device was first announced in May of 2018. That on-sale date only applies to the United States, however. In the United Kingdom and most areas in Europe, the device is still listed as a pre-order, with a ship date of July 18. In Canada, the Link Bar still has no listing so it’s unavailable for now. JBL Link Bar price In the United States, the JBL Link Bar costs $400. In the United Kingdom, it sells for 349 pounds (~$438) and in Europe, the device goes for $399 euros (~$450). You’ll need to check JBL.com for pricing and availability in other countries. The Link Bar itself operates as a standalone product. However, you can also buy an optional subwoofer specifically designed for the Link Bar. This will add some deeper bass to your music listening as well as enhancing low-end sounds when you’re watching movies or TV shows. The 10-inch subwoofer — officially called the JBL SW10 — is available now from JBL for $300. That means the Link Bar and its companion sub will cost you over $700, which is certainly not cheap. However, you won’t need a media streaming box or a Google Home smart speaker in your media room, considering the Link Bar will replace both those items. Click the buttons below to grab your new Link Bar and subwoofer! Buy JBL Link Bar Buy SW10 Subwoofer<doc-sep>JBL’s Link Bar is one of the more interesting Android devices to be announced this year: the product first and foremost appears to be a soundbar, but it also has Android TV and Google Assistant functionality built-in. So once it’s set up, you have a voice-activated speaker that can control your TV and do the many other things that smart speakers are capable of doing, while also giving your TV better sound. The Link Bar was announced back in May, but now we finally know when it’s coming out and how much it’ll cost: Android Police spotted a preorder listing on B&H, where it’s going for $399.95 with the ship date listed as October 16th. That puts it on the pricier end of smart speakers and soundbars, but if you’re investing in Google’s ecosystem, the combination might just make sense. A soundbar is a simple way to improve your TV’s audio quality; and while soundbars aren’t usually as good as a general purpose speaker system for playing music, the Link Bar’s price is on par with high-end smart speakers, like Google’s $399 Home Max. For it to add up, the product will have to be good at a lot of very different things. But it could make for a compelling combination if JBL gets it right.<doc-sep>
Android TV was given new life this year courtesy of a renewed focus from Google as well as plenty of new hardware. Now, JBL’s unique soundbar equipped with Android TV is available for pre-order. The JBL Link Bar first broke cover around Google I/O in May and makes some big promises. For one, the soundbar packs Android TV built-in, giving you an all-in-one solution for your audio and set-top box. Further, it delivers Google Assistant with an always-listening, Google Home-like experience which works as a speaker on its own, but can also tie into the TV experience itself. JBL has packed 100W of total power into this soundbar, and while it doesn’t come with a separate subwoofer, it does offer compatibility with JBL’s wireless options as an add-on. Built-in, though, you’ll have four total HDMI ports, one of which is used to interface with the TV, built-in Chromecast and Bluetooth, and both Wi-Fi and Ethernet. We went hands-on with the JBL Link Bar back at I/O, and our own Stephen Hall had a lot of good to say about the product. Overall, this just feels like a polished, innovative, seamless product that could almost be Google hardware. It ties together the best of Assistant speakers and Android TVs, and it introduces a new category that Google says we’ll see expanded with other devices built with similar hand-in-hand cooperation on Google’s part. Pricing for the JBL Link Bar lands at $399 putting it in competition with the Sonos Beam, and also priced up above the Polk Audio Command Bar which packs Amazon Alexa. Personally, I think Android TV makes this well worth the premium. Pre-orders are open now from B&H Photo, and orders are expected to ship in October. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: