Sleep Sensing on 2nd-gen Nest Hub lets you improve your sleep

Google has unveiled the second-generation Nest Hub smart display that comes with a sustainable design, an edgeless glass display and Sleep Sensing feature that helps users understand and improve their sleep.

The second-generation Nest Hub is priced at USD99.99 and is available for pre-order in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France and Australia at the Google Store and other retailers. It has four color options - Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and the new Mist.

Specs and features

Google says it is designed with recycled materials and its plastic mechanical parts contain 54 percent recycled post-consumer plastic. The new Nest Hub features a 7-inch edgeless glass display with 1024 x 600-pixels resolution that also functions as a beautiful digital photo frame.

The second-generation Nest Hub is claimed to have 50 percent more bass than the original Hub. Under the hood, the smart display has a dedicated on-device machine learning chip and a built-in Thread radio to control the connected home.

The new Sleep Sensing feature on the smart display helps users analyse their sleep quality and improve it. It uses Motion Sense - powered by Soli low-energy radar technology - to track the sleep of the person closest to the display, based on the movement and breathing. Other sensors onboard the 2nd-gen Nest Hub detect sounds like snoring and coughing, and environmental factors like light and room temperature that could impact sleep.

Users can view their sleep data anytime on the new Nest Hub just by asking, "Hey Google, how did I sleep?". Sleep Sensing also provides personalized insights and recommendations compiled after several nights of analysis to help users improve their sleep quality. This feature is available as a free preview until next year.

On the privacy front, the second-generation Nest Hub allows users to turn off the display's mic at any time with the hardware switch at the back. It also provides the ability to easily clear Google Assistant history at any time.

In addition, the Sleep Sensing feature is completely optional and a visual indicator on the display lets you know when it's on. It is worth mentioning that the Motion Sense technology, as Google says, only detects motion, not specific bodies or faces while the coughing and snoring audio data is only processed on the device, it isn't sent to Google servers.

In terms of connectivity, the second-generation Nest Hub supports dual-band WiFi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 and Chromecast built-in. There is no camera for making video calls, but users can make hands-free calls with Google Duo and Google Meet.