Leaked Google Home Hub Revealed To Be Google's Own Smart Display

Google has already partnered with the likes of Lenovo and JBL to deliver a Google Assistant smart speaker that comes with a display. Now, Google is expected to make its very own product and a new leak may have already revealed what it will look like and how much it will cost.

Google's own smart display product will reportedly be called Google Home Hub, according to MySmartPrice. The site was also able to dig up official-looking renders for the Home Hub and the device looks like a tablet merged with a Google Home speaker. The Google Home Hub features a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that appears to have a full-range speaker attached to its back. The speaker itself comes with a squarish shape and it has a design that’s a bit reminiscent of the Google Home Max, but it is not as large.

The 7-inch touchscreen can be used for navigating the custom user interface for Google Assistant. It’s very unlikely that the device will run the full version of the Android operating system. The screen could be used for watching video content on YouTube and other video streaming services.

The leaked renders for the Google Home Hub also show the smart speaker in the chalk white color option that’s already available on Google’s other smart speakers. The smart speaker is also listed as being available in a charcoal color variant. The speaker appears to have a dedicated mute switch which will be for turning off the far-field microphones in the unit.

MySmartPrice was also able to acquire the specs sheet of the Google Home Hub. The device is listed as having improved smart speaker capabilities than the current Google Home speakers. Users will be able to ask Google Assistant to show specific photos from their Google Photos library. There’s also a feature called Live Albums, which lets the Home Hub create a slideshow out of images from the user’s Google Photos library.

Interestingly, the Google Home Hub will be able to play well with other smart home connected devices. The new smart speaker will be able to pair with Nest Cam home security cameras and users will be able to ask Google Assistant to show them a live feed. The Home Hub will also work with other smart home devices like lights, TVs and thermostats.

The Google Home Hub will have support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi connections. The device is also listed as having Bluetooth connectivity, but the Bluetooth certification is unspecified. What’s really surprising about the Home Hub is that it doesn’t appear to have a front-facing camera, as pointed out by Android Authority. Other smart displays have front-facing cameras that allow users to have video calls using Google Duo.

Although the lack of a camera is a bit disappointing, at least the Google Home Hub will be affordable. Google’s own smart display will allegedly cost $149. For comparison, the 8-inch Lenovo Smart Display costs $199, while the 8-inch JBL Link View costs $250. The Google Home Hub smart speaker is expected to be officially announced on Oct. 9, the same date that the company will launch the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.