Google has just announced new features coming to its Home app and two Nest products two days ahead of its scheduled announcement for new hardware. Google couldn’t wait until the official launch event on Thursday to outline new features and UI changes for its Home app and two new Nest hardware products; a Nest Wi-Fi model and a new Doorbell.
It may be a way for Google to build up the hype before the official event or a way to stop leaks just ahead of the event, but Google has given everyone the right heads-up. The new modifications and new hardware announcements were made through a series of blogs and promised users new hardware and a fresher look for Google’s Home app.
So what are these new products and changes from Google?
1. 2nd Generation Wired Nest Doorbell
The wired Nest Doorbell from Google has been upgraded. The 2nd generation has been refreshed with new specs for easy detection of packages at the door, is available in four colours and has better picture quality. With a 3:4 aspect ratio and 960x 120 pixels resolution, a sensor supporting HDR capture and a field view of 145 degrees it will be easier to notice packages. The tech giant has claimed that its 2nd generation wired Nest Doorbell has “the clearest image yet.”
The new Wired Nest Doorbell has the same features as the last one but because it is wired it can save up to 10 days of 24-hour footage continuously if one subscribes to the Nest Aware Plus service. With a 30% smaller footprint than its predecessor the new model can also give quicker alerts if a pet, person or package is at the door because it processes video on-device.
The new Wired Nest Doorbell will also allow users to get motion alerts in real-time and using live video you will also be able to respond to home callers. The new 2nd generation wired Nest Doorbell from Google is already available for purchase at a retail price of $179.
2. Google Nest Wifi Pro
More upgrades from Google come in its latest mesh wifi system that will now be able to support the most recent 6E protocol. The Nest Wifi Pro mesh router comes with a better speed with a combined output speed of up to 5.4Gbps and a wider connectivity range of up to 2,200 Sq ft per router but drops smart speaker integration and will not be able to mesh with older models of the Nest Wi-Fi. Nest Wi-Fi Pro will not work on old Nest Wi-Fi nodes. The new router features also reduce congestion issues.
The Nest Wi-Fi Pro has a retail price of $199 for a single router and will cost $ 399 for a router and two nodes. The product will be available from October 27 and is available in Fog, Lemongrass, Linen, and Snow.
3. Google Home app redesign
Google is going all out to improve its products and the Home app is also getting a facelift. The new changes include a UI app that Google has promised to bring out in the “coming weeks.” The redesigns will make controlling smart devices in the house a lot easier than before.
Google’s Home app will now have a new layout with five tabs: Favourites tab that will let you pin the most used smart devices, Devices tab that will show all home devices, Automations tab which will show a full view of activities and an Activity tab that will show all recent activities of doorbells or smart cameras and settings. This automation can also be motion triggered adding to the old system of automation that was done when you dismissed your alarm, used a voice command, or touched the app.
Space is a new organisational tool on Google’s Home app and allows you to group devices that are in different rooms of the house together. This tool supports the room organisational strategy for devices that the Google Home app already had.
Wear OS and Google’s web browser will soon have the Home app to make viewing camera feeds on your computer easier. The company has also promised to introduce a script editor feature that will allow users to create codes for personalised automation. This feature will come in 2023 according to Google.
A public review of the Google Home app will be available to anyone who wants to try the app early. Sign up in a few coming weeks to get a preview of the app.
The official day for launching its new or upgraded hardware is Thursday when Google is expected to unveil the Pixel Watch, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro and likely more Nest products.
The Pixel Watch is Google’s first consumer smartwatch and will be unveiled the same day as the new range of Pixel Phones. The first wearable from Google promises 24 hours of battery life and a selection of customised straps. Available in silver, gold, and black and made with recycled stainless steel it will also offer FitBit features such as sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring. Fitbit statistics will also be available on the watch screen.
While the Pixel 7 has an upgraded selfie camera from that of the Pixel 6, comes with Android 13 as the operating system and has a battery capacity of 4700mAh. The Pixel 7 Pro has the much anticipated 120 HZ refresh rate for an improved scrolling experience and a 6.7-inch OLED display with QHD resolution. It will come with 50MP triple rear cameras and steady video support with OIS and EIS features. Google has also hinted that the Pixel 7 Pro will have 30W charging support for a fully charged phone within an hour.
Apart from rumours, Google has revealed that all the Pixel smartphones will have the Tensor chip for more photo, security and video personalised features that customers will appreciate. All rumours and speculations plus the latest products will be unveiled at the official Made By Google event on Thursday 6 October.
