Google announces second-generation Nest Hub with sleep tracking, powered by a Soli radar chip, for $100, shipping on March 30
9to5GoogleAbner Li
Context & Ripple Effects
January reporting had already pointed to a Nest Hub refresh built around sleep tracking; the announcement turns that reported 2021 product plan into a priced, dated launch. It also extends Soli beyond the Pixel-associated sensor discussed in Google's planned gesture-controlled thermostat, placing radar sensing in another Nest category.
The $100 model sits well below the $229 Nest Hub Max announced in 2019, giving Google a lower-priced smart-display tier centered on passive sensing rather than a larger screen.
First-order effects
Google adds sleep tracking and a Soli radar chip to its Nest Hub lineup at $100, with shipments scheduled to begin March 30.
Nest buyers gain a lower-priced smart display option that differentiates itself through sleep tracking, while the Nest Hub Max remains Google’s higher-priced display offering.
Second-order effects
Google’s Nest portfolio becomes more clearly segmented by price and sensing features, increasing pressure on the company to distinguish the $229 Nest Hub Max from the new $100 model.
Third-order effects
If Google continues the Nest Hub-and-thermostat pattern, Soli is becoming a reusable ambient-sensing layer across home devices rather than a feature confined to a single product line.
The trend: Google is moving Nest hardware toward lower-cost, sensor-led home devices that use Soli to add passive interactions and health-oriented features.
Soli radar sensors are back for sleep tracking on the newest Google Nest Hub. Reminds me of a phone app I tried a while ago. Curious to know how in-depth this could theoretically get https://www.cnet.com/...
I sort of expected Google to add a camera to the 2nd-gen Nest Hub, given its aggressive push to make Meet happen. Instead, the company added radar. Senior PM Ashton Udall told me there wasn't much of a fight over the camera. https://www.protocol.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Ah, Google adds a sensor so sensitive it can detect breathing patterns. Yeah that's fine. “The new Hub does this thanks to its integrated Soli sensor technology, which can measure your movement during the night, even down to your breathing patterns.” https://www.theverge.com/...
.@Google's new Sleep Sensing feature in the Nest Hub enables users to better understand their nighttime wellness through Soli radar-based sleep tracking combined with novel algorithms for cough and snore detection: https://ai.googleblog.com/... https://twitter.com/...
The new Sleep Sensing feature in Nest Hub enables users to better understand their nighttime wellness by leveraging Soli miniature radar sensors, combined with novel algorithms and on-device data processing. Learn more → https://ai.googleblog.com/... https://twitter.com/...
It's time for a transparent, open-source alternative to Google Nest and its evil imitators. Yes to smart appliances and energy efficiency. A hard no to letting evil tech companies control and monitor every aspect of our home lives. https://www.cnbc.com/...
Sleep experts: avoid putting screens by your bed, it's bad for you in every way. Google: Yo put this thing by your bed for sleep tracking because we need to validate Soli's existence. https://techcrunch.com/...
Soli is such cool technology. I'm glad to see it make a return in the new Nest Hub as an alternative to having a camera for sleep tracking (with Google Fit integration!) and gestures. Although maybe a gesture to snooze your alarm is a bit too convenient... https://blog.google/...
the new Nest Hub will be able to track your sleep ... with no need to wear anything on your wrist ... just go to sleep and it will do the “rest,” so to say... can't wait to test this out! https://blog.google/...
All the headlines are about the new sleep tracking feature but imo the most important thing is the processor bump, the old ones were starting to get slow with all the stuff Google has added to the platform https://www.theverge.com/...
Google's latest home hubs have integrated radar that monitors your movements in the night, tracking your quality of sleep “down to your breathing patterns” - totally normal, cheery stuff https://www.theverge.com/...