New Google smart displays are on the way
What's the story
Google has confirmed its commitment to the smart display category, hinting at the possible launch of new versions of its Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max devices "soon." The announcement comes after a recent unveiling of a new smart speaker for Google's AI-driven Gemini smart home platform. However, there was no mention of an upcoming smart display at that time.
Confirmation
Google is 'definitely' committed to smart displays
Anish Kattukaran, from the Google Home team, has confirmed the company's dedication to smart displays. He told The Verge that they are "definitely committed to smart displays," and will have some "news to share there soon." This statement reaffirms Google's focus on this device category despite its absence in recent product launches.
Potential
Smart displays an 'incredible form factor' for Gemini
On The Vergecast, Kattukaran elaborated on the potential of smart displays in Google's future plans. He said they are an "incredible form factor" for interacting with something like Gemini for Home. He emphasized their capabilities such as a microphone and speaker for audio input/output, and a screen that complements voice interaction by visualizing information.
Multi-modality
Envisioning smart displays as ultimate form factor for Gemini
Kattukaran also highlighted how smart displays add a vision component to the multi-modality of Gemini. He said, "As I see where Gemini for Home is going and Gemini more broadly ... it feels like almost the ultimate form factor to be able to deliver a really great home experience." This shows how Google plans to leverage smart displays in its future product offerings.
Market competition
Amazon recently launched new Echo Show smart displays
The news of Google's upcoming Nest Hub comes as Amazon has just launched two new Echo Show smart displays for its Alexa Plus AI assistant. These devices come with a new AZ3 Pro processor, edge-based computing capabilities, and an Omnisense fusion platform that can process data locally from smart home sensors. The advancements highlight the growing competition in the smart display market.