Google's new smart display, the Nest Home Hub Max, features a host of improvements over the previous model and a built-in camera for video calls.
As part of a house-cleaning initiative, more Google smart home devices are being rebranded under the Nest name, SVP for Hardware Rick Osterloh announced at I/O. As such, the device previously known as the Google Home Hub will now be the Nest Home Hub and sell for $129, down from $149.
The Nest Home Hub Max will retail for $229 when it arrives this summer.
A major theme this year at Google I/O was the idea of helpfulness, and Osterloh contextualized the Home Hub Max as the center of a "helpful home."
The device is larger than the previous Home Hub; 10 inches compared to 7 inches. It puts that larger screen to use with Google Duo video calling, letting you make and receive calls from anyone using the mobile app or online through the Chrome browser. The Home Hub Max uses a built-in camera, and keeps you in frame by zooming the image in and out as you move, rather than physically moving the device.
In addition to video calling, the Home Hub Max uses its camera for gestures. Instead of telling your Home Hub Max to stop playing music, you can simply raise your hand. This assumes, of course, that the Home Hub Max can see you at the time, but this is certainly a more elegant solution than trying to shout over the music you want turned off.
Privacy was another major talking point at Google's annual developer conference, and the Home Hub Max has a unique privacy feature not often seen in mainstream products: a physical switch that electronically disconnects the camera and the microphone. Osterloh also assured the audience that the Home Hub Max only streams and records what you want, and has an indicator light to let you know when the camera is on or off.
Additionally, Osterloh told the audience that Nest will publish a comprehensive set of "privacy commitments." These will outline how Nest products work, what data they are storing, and how that data is used.
Some of that data will be used to identify you by your face and voice. Facematch is an opt-in feature on the Home Hub Max that will display only your relevant content when you're looking at the device. Data will be encrypted and stored on the device, according to Osterloh.