Google Nest (smart speakers)

Google Nest
Several products released under the original Google Home name: Google Home, Google Home Hub, and Google Home Mini
DeveloperGoogle
TypeSmart speaker
Release dateNovember 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)
Units sold52 million[1]
InputVoice commands, limited physical touch surface
ConnectivityWi-Fi dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) 802.11b/g/n/ac,[2] Bluetooth
WebsiteGoogle Nest

Google Nest, previously named Google Home, is a line of smart speakers developed by Google under the Google Nest brand. The devices enable users to speak voice commands to interact with services through Google Assistant, the company's virtual assistant. Both in-house and third-party services are integrated, allowing users to listen to music, control playback of videos or photos, or receive news updates entirely by voice. Google Nest devices also have integrated support for home automation, letting users control smart home appliances with their voice command. The first device, Google Home, was released in the United States in November 2016; subsequent product releases have occurred globally since 2017.

Through software updates to Google Nest devices and Google Assistant, additional functionality has been added over time. For example, multiple speakers can be set up for synchronized playback of music. An update in April 2017 brought multi-user support, allowing the device to distinguish between up to six people by voice. In May 2017, Google announced multiple updates, including: hands-free phone calling at no cost in Canada and the United States; proactive reminders ahead of scheduled events; visual responses on mobile devices or Chromecast-enabled televisions; Bluetooth audio streaming; and the ability to add reminders and calendar appointments.

The original Google Home speaker released in November 2016 featured a cylindrical shape with colored status LEDs on top. In October 2017, Google announced two additions to the product lineup, the miniature puck-shaped Google Home Mini and a larger Google Home Max. In October 2018, the company released the Google Home Hub, a smart speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen. In May 2019, Google announced that Google Home devices would be rebranded under the Google Nest banner, and it unveiled the Nest Hub Max, a larger smart display.

  1. ^ "RBC Analyst Says 52 Million Google Home Devices Sold to Date and Generating $3.4 Billion in 2018 Revenue According to statista, In total, 35% of U.S. smart home users say they like Google Nest. However, in actuality, among the 79% of U.S. respondents who know Google Nest, 44% of people like the brand". December 24, 2018.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference homespecs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).