In the land of leaks and rumors, when an official channel “accidentally” posts details that the public isn’t supposed to know yet, you always wonder if it’s deliberate to stoke interest or if someone’s going to get reprimanded for making a mistake. It can go either way with this latest piece of news that the much-awaited Google Next Hub Max finally got a release date posted on a Google Support product page. However, it was immediately removed, although it’s the Internet so someone screen-capped it of course.
The Nest Hub Max, with its 10-inch screen and its built-in camera, has attracted interest for those who need a smart display at their home or office, with all the powers of Google Assistant and some of the Nest security home features as well. You’ll be able to send video messages, make video calls without having to hold a device, and when not in use, it is also a live albums display of your photos.
Another unique feature it has is called Ambient EQ which actually blends images in with the environment where your device is located. And since it’s a Nest-branded product, it can also serve as a live video feed that you can see on your smartphone even when you’re away from the house or office. It has all the functionality of a smart speaker but with the added bonus of a display and visual content.
The Next Hub Max was announced last May and has been available as preorder through the Google Store. They did not announce when it would start shipping but it seems someone didn’t get the memo as a product page said that it would be “available September 9, 2019, in Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States (except Puerto Rico). Of course, it was immediately removed and replaced with “Coming soon”.
We’ll probably find out soon enough if September 9 is indeed the release date. In the meantime, if you’re interested, you can sign up in the “Join Waitlist” section and you’ll be informed through your Google account when it’s available. You also have to ready $299 as that is the SRP they have announced.
