As per reports, Apple is finally planning to enter the smart display market to take on its rivals like Amazon and Google, who are well-established in this industry. The company has previously tried to crack the smart speaker market dominated by Amazon and Google with little success. The latest sources, however, show promise for the new upcoming Apple Smart Display.

The Smart Display would use the iPad as the primary screen, and the device would be used to regulate the thermostat, home lighting and security options, such as locks. Users will be able to make facetime calls using the Smart Display as well. Additionally, one could watch TV and multitask on the device – for instance, watching a cooking video on YouTube while checking the weather forecast. 

As per sources, Apple’s Smart Display will feature a larger screen for the sake of convenience. Compared to Google Nest Hub Max, which has a 10-inch display, customers can expect the Apple Smart Display to have a slightly larger screen. Furthermore, Apple might even let its users purchase docks for their iPads, similar to the dock for the upcoming Google Pixel tablet. That will enable customers to hang up their iPads around their home or just use it with a stand on a counter or a dresser.  

Apple’s voice assistant, Siri would be a major point of focus for the Smart Display. Since Apple’s AI capabilities don’t match the potential of Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa, Apple would have to improve Siri as a strong contender to its competition. The process might take a fair amount of time, which is why customers should not expect the Apple Smart Display to launch anytime soon. 

Apple’s new HomePod smart speaker is promising. However, it features more or less a similar design to its previous generation, which was launched in the year 2018. To make its Smart Display a success in such a competitive market, Apple would have to bridge a lot of gaps in their hardware and software. It will be quite interesting to see how the trillion-dollar electronics company conquers this hurdle.  

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(Source, Via)

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There are hints that Google could be working on a new Nest Hub with a detachable tablet form factor slated for release later this year. According to reports on the product which is still under development, the screen is detachable from the speakers.

The second-generation Nest Hub was released in 2021 with a smart display and starts at $99. The larger Nest Hub Max was released in 2019 and is priced at $229. It features a 10-inch screen, a more powerful audio output, and can function as a videoconferencing device. The next Nest Hub device is reported to have a removable tablet that is attached to the base speaker. It presents a conventional-looking smart home device.

The new Nest Hub will provide more interface options and elements. Swiping up or down will reveal some of the items on offer via its screen. It also includes a feature-rich browser but it is unclear what operating system will run on the new Nest Hub. It is unlikely that the Chrome OS will be deployed in the new Nest Hub due to its high power requirements and possible cost implications. The option of Android OS for the new Nest Hub could expand the functionality of the device and open it to Play Store resources.

There is no definitive statement from Google on the possible launch of the next Nest Hub. The coming weeks will reveal the possible trajectory of the Nest Hub.

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Amazon has filed a document with the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking permission to use radar technology to achieve sleep tracking in its products. When it becomes operational, Amazon’s move will also make it possible to use hand gestures to control Amazon’s Echo devices, as applied to Google Nest Hub and Pixel 4 smartphones.

Amazon hopes to join Google to engender a better understanding and assessment of sleep using a contactless technology like radar. There is a strong nexus between sleep hygiene, good health, and productivity. Therefore, it is important for a user to effectively determine his sleep trajectory for more excellent health and fitness awareness. For example, the Google Nest Hub Smart display provides a more robust sleep tracking mechanism than current contact methods prevalent in most devices.

The details of the FCC filing by Amazon on the new radar sleep-tracking sensor show that Amazon is claiming the technology can assist in a better understanding of sleep issues by users. The fine details of how the radar technology will work with Amazon devices were not reflected in the FCC document, fuelling speculation that we are still far from the premiering of the technology in an Amazon device. The soon-to-be-released Amazon Echo Show is also not indicated whether the device will come with the radar sensor technology.

With a focus on sleep health on the rise, different devices have been prevalent, including smart wearables and other gadgets, for a comprehensive sleep tracking mechanism. Sleep patterns could provide valuable insights into possible health conditions, and the data logged on sleep is a trove of useful information.

As these techniques continue to be deployed in new devices and data collected, there are still concerns about the privacy of users, which could be breached with unauthorized access to such data.

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It’s been a few years since Google started working on a new operating system named Fuchsia. It is an open-source OS that prioritizes security, updatability, and performance and is aimed towards a range of devices.

Now it seems that Google is finally ready to launch the operating system in the market with version 1.0. A new product from the company named Google Nest Hub has appeared on Bluetooth SIG which reveals that the device runs Fuchsia 1.0.

It is noteworthy that the device listed on the website is “Google Home Hub” which was launched in 2018 and was later rebranded as “Google Nest Hub” and is not the Nest Hub 2nd Gen that was released this year.

The Nest Hub runs the Cast platform but the listing suggests Fuchsia 1.0 which could also refer to the initial “M1” release of the operating system. There’s also a possibility that the version number is just a placeholder.

Do note that this isn’t the first time a Fuchsia-running device has appeared on Bluetooth SIG. Last year, a device codenamed “Sapphire” had appeared on the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) website.

However, it seems unlikely for the operating system to be available for the general public or even developers anytime soon given the pace of development for Fuchsia. Google has tested running this new operating system on a few consumer devices, such as the Google Pixelbook, Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max. Recently, Fuchsia opened the project to contribution from the public and began its “release” cycle.

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The major consumer electronics makers are offering massive discounts, and the retailers are further making the deals even sweeter by bundling some products together. In such a similar deal, a major UK retailer – BT is offering Google Nest Home for free if the buyer grabs Pixel 4a/Pixel 4a 5G in a bundle for £319.

Must See: Google’s Black Friday discount shaves $150 off the Google Home Max, $50 off the Pixel 5

The offer is applicable on both the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G edition which costs £319 and £459, respectively. However, the Pixel 4a 128GB is available only in Black color on BT and the offer is limited to the user residing in the UK. You can head over to the product page and can scroll down to the “Bundle” section to get the deal.

We suggest the interested buyers grab it as soon as possible, otherwise, it may get out of stock. Bringing Google Nest Home can be like icing on the cake along with the Google Pixel 4a smartphone. It will enhance the Google experience at your home or workplace.

Google Pixel 4a was launched earlier this year in two variants – 5G and non-5g variant. The smartphone carries a 5.8-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution. It offers powerful performance with Snapdragon 730G chipset which couples 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. As with other Pixel smartphones, Pixel 4a offers an excellent photography experience with its 12.2-rear camera lens.

Google Nest Hub, on the other hand, can be your entertainment console and also acts as a smart device manager. It’s a door to automation at your place with minimum investment.

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UPDATE: Xiaomi has sent out an official statement regarding this bug. The company says this incident happened because of a bug in a new feature it was testing on December 26. It suspended the feature on January 2 and is currently working with Google to perfect it. Full statement (including translation) has been added at the end of this article.

Smart home security cameras are getting popular given the ease-of-access they offer at an affordable price point. Accessing the feed is now also quite easy as the user just need to perform a voice command to see the security camera feed.

However, a Reddit user has come across a security bug related to the smart home security camera. He owns Google Nest Hub and some Xiaomi Mijia security cams but when he performed a voice command for the feed, he came across an unexpected result.

EDITOR’S PICK: Apple confirmed to attend CES 2020 to showcase its smart home system

Instead of seeing the camera feed they expected, they saw feeds from other people’s homes. Some of the feeds even had people in them, including a sleeping man and an infant. The unexpected feeds all appear in black and white with bizarre scan lines and other distortions. You can check out the sample footage through the source link.

However, it has not been independently verified that this is true or not. AndroidAuthority got in touch with Xiaomi and Google for the same. While Xiaomi hasn’t responded to their request yet, Google spokesperson said: “We’re aware of the issue and are in contact with Xiaomi to work on a fix. In the meantime, we’re disabling Xiaomi integrations on our devices.”

It is not yet clear who is at fault here — Xiaomi or Google. But given that Google has disabled support for Xiaomi, it implies that the Chinese company is at fault otherwise Google wouldn’t have disabled support if it didn’t have some sort of evidence.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM XIAOMI (Translation below)

Regarding Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p (Mi Home smart Camera overseas edition) temporarily offline connection to the Google Home Hub.

1. On January 2, 2020, Beijing time, we learned that Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p, which was sold overseas, was connected to the Google screen speaker through Google Home Hub, and there was a small probability that it would receive streaming images from the Camera under other Google user accounts. The relevant service was launched on December 26, 2019 as a test of a new function, and we have communicated with the relevant platform to suspend the service at 17:00 on January 2, 2020 and fix the relevant Bug.

2. Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p’s connection to Google Home Hub is one of the features developed by Xiaomi for Google smart Home system. The aforementioned Bug occurred when Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p sold overseas was connected to Google’s products with screen speakers via the Google Home Hub platform, only with minimal probability in the case of weak network. The total number of users found to have relevant usage scenarios is 1044, of which only a few are likely to be affected.

3. Domestic users and all users (including Chinese and overseas users) who use mijia APP platform and mi mijia related cameras are not affected.

Currently, the security team of Xiaomi has communicated with Google and fixed relevant bugs. We will re-launch this function in due time after both parties have jointly tested and perfected it. Xiaomi always attaches great importance to users’ security and privacy, and will continue to do its best to protect users’ rights and interests.

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(Source)

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Google Nest Hub, which was originally named Google Home Hub when it was first announced, is reportedly all set to launch in India as early as next week. The report also says that the device could be priced at ₹8,999, which roughly converts to $126.

The reported Indian pricing makes it even cheaper than its pricing in the US where the device is currently on sale for $129. The smart home display device from Google was launched to counter the Amazon Echo Show that was launched in May 2017 and offers voice assistant and a touchscreen panel.

As said, Google had launched the Nest Hub as Google Home Hub in October last year. However, the company changed the branding at the Google I/O 2019 developer conference and put the smart home devices under the Nest brand. The company also announced a new variant of its smart display that it calls the Nest Hub Max.

The Google Nest Hub comes with a 7-inch touchscreen attached to a fabric-covered base similar to what we’ve seen on the Google Home. It comes with a built-in Google Assistant, Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity, and an Ambient EQ light sensor for adjusting the screen’s brightness automatically.

It offers a lot of functionalities, including setting alarms, turning off lights, TVs as well as lock the front door. It comes with ‘Voice Match’ where up to six people in the home can get their own personalized Routine.

You can control 10,000+ types of smart home devices from 1,000+ popular brands, said the company. Aside from YouTube, the device also comes with support for music from Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio and other popular music services.

The Google Nest Hub comes in four color options — Sand, Aqua, Chalk (Grey), and Charcoal (Black). When launched, it was priced at $149 in the US but is currently available for $129. However, it’s Indian pricing will reportedly be ₹8,999, which roughly converts to $126.

(Source)

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