Google is holding a hardware launch event tomorrow where the company is expected to unveil the Pixel 4 smartphone and Pixelbook Go Chromebook.
It looks like a new entry-level smart speakers is also on the way.
WinFuture has posted details about the Nest Mini, which appears to be a follow-up to the Google Home Mini.
The price hasn’t been announced yet, but I’d be surprised if the new model wasn’t sold for the same $49 as its predecessor.
Update: As expected, the 2nd-gen Nest Mini sells for $49. It’s up for pre-order starting October 15th, and it should be available in stores starting October 22nd.
That’s because the Nest Mini is exactly the same size as its predecessor. The key visible differences seem to be:
- The name
- A hole hole in the back that lets you hang the new model on the wall like a clock
- New color options
WinFuture reports that like its predecessor, the new model features 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and Chromecast functionality.
One other change is a new 15-watt power supply, which could be an indication that the new model has enhanced audio or some other improvements that draw more power… because the Google Home Mini only needs a 9 watt power supply.
Update: Yup, Google says the 2nd-gen Nest Mini has improved audio including 2X stronger bass and improved clarity. There’s also a 3rd-microphone for better far-field voice detection.
And Google has added a dedicated machine learning chip to the Nest Mini with up to 1 TeraOPS of performance. The company says this offers on-device processing of many voice requests for faster response times, which should improve as the Nest Mini gets used to your household’s most frequent voice requests.
We should have more details when Google holds its fall hardware launch event on Tuesday, October 15th.
For now, you can find more leaked images at WinFuture.