Google has launched a new Nest Hub with 50% more bass than the original Hub. There are also a few other cool features users will like, but the part we care about the most is the built-in sleep tracking.
As Google is putting it, the Nest Hub has always helped you “tackle the day; now, it can help you rest well at night.”
How does it work?
The feature, called Sleep Sensing, is designed to help users understand and improve their sleep. It uses Motion Sense (powered by Soli low-energy radar technology) to analyze how the person closest to the display is sleeping, based on their movement and breathing — all without a camera or wearable. Sleep Sensing can also detect sleep disturbances like coughing and snoring or the light and temperature changes in the room with Nest Hub’s built-in microphones and ambient light and temperature sensors, so you can better understand what’s impacting your sleep.
When you wake up, you’ll receive a personalized sleep summary on the screen, or you can view your sleep data anytime on the Nest Hub by asking, “Hey Google, how did I sleep?” Sleep Sensing can also connect to your Google Fit app on Android and iOS devices, so you can see your sleep summary alongside your other health and wellness information.
In addition, Sleep Sensing provides tailored bedtime schedules and personalized suggestions developed by a team of sleep scientists and using guidance from organizations like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Compiled after several nights of analysis, these suggestions point out notable aspects of your sleep, educate you on why they’re important and provide suggestions to improve.
What about privacy?
Sleep Sensing is completely optional with privacy safeguards in place so you’re in control: You choose if you want to enable it and there’s a visual indicator on the display to let you know when it’s on. Motion Sense only detects motion, not specific bodies or faces, and your coughing and snoring audio data is only processed on the device — it isn’t sent to Google servers. You have multiple controls to disable Sleep Sensing features, including a hardware switch that physically disables the microphone. You can review or delete your sleep data at any time, and consistent with our privacy commitments, it isn’t used for personalized ads.
Availability
Sleep Sensing on the second-gen Nest Hub is available as a free preview until next year. Google is also looking for ways to work with Fitbit’s sleep-tracking features in the future.
The new Nest Hub comes in a variety of colors to complement any room in the house: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and the new Mist. The price in the U.S. is set at $99.99 and the device is now up for pre-order in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France and Australia at the Google Store and other retailers starting today.