The newly renamed NEST Mini is the NEST team's next smart speaker, following the NEST Hub. While it retains the original Google Home Mini's design, it features enhanced technology within the same exterior. The NEST WiFi, on the other hand, builds on the foundations of Google WiFi, simplifying Wi-Fi setup and connection while also integrating with Google Assistant for a wider range of applications.
NEST Mini:
According to Ben Brown, product technology director of Google Nest, after the NEST team joins Google's hardware department, it will combine more of Google's internal resources to create easy-to-use products. Changing the product name to NEST is to further integrate product identification.
As for products including smart speakers, Google Home will still be the centerpiece. The previously launched NEST Hub and NEST Hub Max are designed for integration with screens. Although the newly launched NEST Mini has a similar appearance to the Google Home Mini, the two will still be considered separate products. In particular, the NEST Mini not only provides better sound quality, but can also be fixed to the wall through the hanging hole design added at the bottom.
However, like the Google Home Mini, the NEST Mini is also designed as a speaker device that can be deployed in multiple rooms of the home, compatible with a Google Home or NEST Hub as a control center. Thanks to ultrasonic technology, the NEST Mini can also automatically detect whether the user is nearby, automatically displaying the current volume indicator, and even actively avoiding noise to make the output sound easier to hear.
The hardware part uses a processor with improved computing performance, corresponding to edge computing performance of up to 1 terabit per second (TeraOPS), which can increase the response speed of the Google Assistant digital assistant by about 3-10 times. It also supports the music playback function. If multiple sets of NEST Mini are set up at the same time in the home, the next NEST Mini can continue to output the music content played by the previous one.
The colors include Chalk White, Charcoal Black, Coral Orange, and the new Sky Blue. The body is made of recycled plastic, and the power connection part has been changed from the original micro USB to a round jack design. At the same time, an additional set of remote microphones has been added to the radio part to improve the radio quality.
At the same time, regarding the support of NEST products for Apple's HomeKit connection specifications, Ben Brown said that after the NEST team joined Google's hardware department, they will continue to work hard to support more IoT connection specifications, but at this stage, all devices that support the connection specifications cannot communicate with each other. At the same time, NEST Mini or NEST Hub have not yet added support for HomeKit.
As for whether the company will consider collaborating with more IoT device connectivity standards in the future, such as Xiaomi's continuously expanding Mijia IoT ecosystem in recent years, Ben Brown stated that he would explore any possibilities, but there are not many details to disclose at this stage.
Ben Brown also emphasized that privacy remains a priority for Google, and NEST products will follow this same philosophy, allowing users to decide how their personal information is used and whether to delete their data. Regarding whether the Soli technology used in the Pixel 4 could be used in NEST products, Ben Brown only stated that the technology could open up more interactive possibilities, but declined to provide further details.
NEST WiFi:
Although the NEST WiFi, which was updated simultaneously this time, is a successor to the previously launched Google WiFi, it does not replace the two products. The two products will still be sold separately in the market, and their product positioning is still to make Internet connection simpler and more convenient.
In the new NEST WiFi, there is a distinction between the NEST WiFi router used as the host and the NEST WiFi point used to extend the wireless network coverage. The new NEST WiFi can provide up to 2 times the connection speed and improve the coverage performance by 25%. Through a combination of a NEST WiFi router and a NEST WiFi point, it can correspond to 85% indoor connection coverage.
The design of the NEST WiFi point directly integrates the Google Assistant function and is also equipped with a speaker amplification function. Therefore, it can be regarded as a NEST Mini with wireless network signal extension function, allowing users to save the installation cost of purchasing an additional NEST Mini.
Like NEST Mini, NEST WiFi also uses recycled materials to create its body, and it also has a stylish design, so it will not look out of place when placed in a home environment.
Only the Nest Mini will be available in Taiwan.
The NEST Mini will be priced at US$49 and is expected to officially launch on October 10nd. It is expected to be available in 22 countries and regions, including the US. Taiwan will also follow suit by the end of the year, adding support for Traditional Chinese interaction with the Google Assistant digital assistant. The Taiwanese price is NT$23. However, the NEST Aware service, which comes with the camera and requires a monthly subscription, is not currently planned for Taiwan.
The suggested retail price of the combination of NEST WiFi router and NEST WiFi point is US$269, while the combination with an additional set of NEST WiFi point will be sold at US$349. It is expected to be officially launched on November 11 and will be launched in 4 countries including the United States, but unfortunately the Taiwan market is not included.
