We are long overdue a new Nest Hub model, but Google is apparently planning to make its next smart display more useful by allowing the screen to detach.
As 9To5Google reports, according to a reliable source, the next Nest Hub will allow the screen to detach from its base. In so doing, it will double as an tablet. Although that could potentially lead to a drop in Android tablet sales, it would certainly shake up the smart home market a bit.
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The prediction of a detachable display is backed up by recent changes Google has been making to the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max interface. It's now possible to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal apps, which can then transition into a full-screen grid of options. The built-in browser was also enhanced with new features last year. Both of these features would be very useful on a Nest in tablet form, but Google could instead just trigger a more typical Android interface to load when it detects the display being detached.
There's still more questions than answers regarding how this new Nest will work and how big the tablet will end up being. It seems likely the price will be considerably higher than the current $99 Nest Hub, but we may not have to wait too long to find out. A 2022 release is expected for this new model.