Google is holding an event on October 9th where the company is expected to unveil its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones, among other things. And not it looks like one of those other things could be the company’s first smart display powered by Google Assistant.
MySmartPrice has posted what are allegedly the first images and details of a new device called the Google Home Hub.
It’s basically a smart speaker with a 7 inch touchscreen display that can show images, videos, and other visual content.
There’s no word on how much the Google Home Hub will cost, or when it will hit the streets. But I’d be surprised if it wasn’t at least mentioned at Google’s October event.
Update: Maybe $149?
The Google Home Hub is said to measure about 7″ x 4.7″ x 2.7″ and weigh a little over a pound. It can work with smart home gadgets to let you do things like control smart thermostats or light bulbs with your voice, or view feeds from connected security cameras.
Earlier this year Google announced that it was bringing Google Assistant to smart displays. But instead of launching its own display at the time, the company announced partnerships with third-party device makers including Lenovo and JBL. Both of those companies brought Google Assistant-enabled smart display to market this summer.
The elephant in the room is still Amazon. The company’s Echo smart speaker was the first device of its type when it was unveiled in 2014, and Google, Apple, and other companies have been playing catch up ever since. Amazon has a whole range of smart speakers today including models with and without displays.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Google Home Hub stacks up against the Amazon Echo Show an Echo Spot in terms of price and functionality.
According to MySmartPrice, the Google Home Hub will support 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth and feature an ambient light sensor. But it’s unclear if it has a camera, which would be an unusual omission: smart displays from Amazon, Lenovo, and JBL all support some form of video calling.
I can see having one of these in the kitchen. I’m a bit of a Google/Android fanboy.