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Google’s Nest Home Hub Max will be able to recognise you by your face

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Picture not described: NestHomeHubMax_supplied_738x410.jpg Image: Supplied

Google's home hardware will switch to the Nest brand, and there's a new large-screen Home Hub coming soon.

At its Google I/O 2019 keynote overnight, Google announced that it's shifting the branding for its smart home range. While they've previously been split between its own "Google" products, like the Google Home speakers and its Nest home security and monitoring products, from now on they'll all be "Nest" branded. This means, for example, that the Google Home Hub will now be the "Nest Hub".

Google Nest Hub Max will be the first of Google's new products. Unlike the smaller Nest Hub, it will have an inbuilt camera module, similar to existing smart displays like the Lenovo Smart Display.

The inbuilt camera can work like a Nest Cam – because in one way it's a massive, screen enabled Nest Cam – and it will support Google Duo for video calling via its wide-angle lens. The camera will light up a green indicator when it's recording, and the mute switch on the back will electrically disable both the microphone and the camera.

If you opt to switch it on, Google's Nest Hub Max will also enable "Face Match", allowing you to be identified, switching to your Google info when it sees you. Google's claim is that the data for this is only stored on the device.

With a large display, Google pitches it as both a good digital photo frame, as well as being compatible with YouTube based video. The Nest Home Max offers full stereo sound with plenty of volume. To quickly pause video, the camera will also allow for a hand gesture to simply pause any audio or video content.

The Google Nest Hub Max will cost US$229 when it launches later this year. The existing Google Home Hub, now the Nest Hub, will also see a price drop to US$129.

Here in Australia, the Google Nest Hub Max will sell for $349, but there's no precise timing for availability just yet. Google has a "waiting list" that you can sign up to on the Google Store if you're especially keen.

In the meantime, you can purchase the current Google Home Hub along with other Google Home products using the links below.

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