Nest Wifi may be coming with Google Assistant speakers built-in

Is voice controlled WiFi coming to the Google event in October?

By Alina Bradford September 17, 2019

Google has got a big unveiling planned for its annual Made by Google hardware showcase in New York City on according to information obtained by 9to5Google from unnamed sources. The word is, Google will launch an updated version of its Google Wifi router to the public.

After Google’s merger with Nest earlier this year, it should come as no surprise that the router is rumored to be called Nest Wifi. It is believed to have beacons that double as Assistant speakers so users can use voice control through Google Assistant to pause a connection in certain areas of the home. It will come in three different colors.

Google Booth CES 2018 — Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

“Our sources say that Google is adopting an Eero-like package with the Nest Wifi. The multipack of the first Google Wifi included multiple full-fledged routers that connected to one another wirelessly, while the second-gen Nest Wifi will instead offer one primary router alongside other, smaller beacons,” 9to5Google said on its blog. “We’re told these smaller beacons will double as Assistant speakers, while the main router will not.”

Recommended Videos

The Nest WiFi isn’t the only new product that will be revealed at the showcase. The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL , which will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, at least 6GB of RAM, and a new facial identification system, have already been confirmed to be released at the event. An updated Nest Mini and a second-generation Pixelbook may also be announced. A livestream of the event will be provided by Google at g.co/madebygoogle19, starting at 10.am. ET on October 15.

Google has already been busy this year. This week, Google Fi got an unlimited data plan that costs $70 per month. Earlier this month at the CEDIA 2019 event, Google and SnapAV announced their new collaboration to add Google Assistant to Control4’s new Smart Home OS 3. Earlier this year, the company revealed that it would stop syncing with Google Photos in July.

As always, Digital Trends will provide you with the latest information on the Made by Google hardware showcase as it draws closer and will provide the news on the new products the day of the event as they are introduced.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Alina Bradford has been a tech, lifestyle and science writer for more than 20 years. Her work is read by millions each month…

Smart Home

Google rolls out Matter support for Nest and Android

The Nest Hub Max on a table.

Google has officially wrapped up its first wave of Matter updates by bringing the interoperability feature to Nest and Android devices. If you own products in these lineups, you’ll now be able to quickly connect them to other Matter-enabled products.

The rollout happened quietly throughout December, with the original Google Home speaker, Google Home Mini, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (1st Gen), Nest Hub (2nd Gen), Nest Hub Max, and the Nest Wi-Fi Pro all receiving the update. You’ll also benefit from Fast Pair on Android, allowing you to quickly sync Matter devices to your home network. All updates happened automatically (so long as you’re running the latest firmware).

Audio / Video

Ikea and Sonos collaborate on new Symfonisk floor lamp speaker

Ikea Sonos Symfonisk floor lamp speakers beside a couch.

Ikea and Sonos are continuing their collaboration with a new floor lamp speaker available in January 2023. It will be added to their popular, and affordable, Symfonisk lineup of Sonos-powered Wi-Fi speakers.

The Swedish furniture icon and American wireless home speaker maker began their partnership in 2019 with the original Symfonisk table lamp speaker, and have since added to the range with a bookshelf speaker, a picture frame speaker, and even a second generation of the table lamp last year, all aimed towards the budget-conscious audio fan looking to get in on Sonos' ecosystem of network speakers.

Smart Home

9 ways Google Assistant can help with Thanksgiving

Nest devices grouped together on a counter.

Google Assistant is available on all sorts of devices around your home. From a basic smartphone to smart speakers, smart displays like the Nest Hub Max, Google Chromecast, and lots more, the assistant is often only a “Hey Google” away from helping. That feature comes in really handy around Thanksgiving, when there’s a whole lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. Here’s how Google Assistant can help make your holiday gathering a little easier.
Look up recipes and ingredient conversions

If you have a Nest smart display or an Android phone, you can tap any recipe you find and say, “Hey Google, add to my cookbook.” Then, when you’re ready in the kitchen, you can simply ask to see your cookbook. With compatible recipes and devices, you can even say, “Hey Google, start cooking,” in a recipe, and Google will walk you through the steps (this trick is primarily for smart displays).