Leaked images have surfaced regarding a new Google project called the “Google Home Hub.” The company said that Assistant would be compatible with displays quite a while ago, but no first-party displays had been made yet, although a slew of third-party hardware was launched. The leaked images suggest that Google plans to launch its own display, likely at the “Made By Google” event on October 9.
The product shown looks like a 7-inch screen with a speaker at its base. The shape and color scheme match that of other Google products. A leaked spec sheet shows 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, a 15W power adaptor, and far-field voice recognition. Curiously enough, however, no camera is included. The sheet also hints that a “Charcoal” color option will be available in addition to the standard “Chalk” color. An image of the back of the device shows a toggle switch like that on Google Home devices, as well as what appears to be a volume control.
What little is known so far makes it clear that this device is a competitor to the Echo Show. The Google Home Hub is capable of showing feeds from your other smart home devices, such as the Ring Doorbell or a Nest Security Camera. It can also show images from your Google Photos drive through voice input, as well as carry out all the existing functions of the Google Home.
Reports from Nikkei indicate that Google plans to ship 3 million units for the first batch of the Google Home Hub, but again, this is just a rumor. Shipping that many units initially indicates an expansive plan — called “aggressive” in the report — from Google to take over the smart home assistant market.
The Echo Show is one of the less popular devices of the Amazon lineup, so whether Google can compete with a display-centered device remains to be seen. Google has not addressed the leaked images or made any sort of confirmation regarding the Home Hub, so any information here is just speculation.
Confirmation will likely come when Google hosts its event in New York City on October 9. There will also be a simultaneous event held in Paris at the same time.
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