It appears that a new Nest Hub is coming this year. According to anonymous sources speaking with 9to5Google, the device will have a detachable screen allowing it to operate as a tablet. It docks with a base speaker to function like Google’s existing Nest Hub models when not in use as a personal device.
The two Nest Hubs Google currently offers, starting at $99, work like smart home speaker systems with a touchscreen interface. The touchscreen comes with a basic suite of entertainment apps like YouTube and Spotify but isn’t designed to work as a full-blown tablet. Users can control home sound systems, cameras, doorbells, audio systems, and even thermostats. The move raises questions about what a detached Google Nest tablet could offer. Would it contain the same apps as the current Nest Hub in a more mobile form factor, or could it perhaps double as an Android tablet? How much of the processing power would be in the tablet as opposed to the base speaker?
