Google TV As The Future Of Gemini Smart Displays 

I think Google may have shared the future of smart displays, or at least an evolution of the form factor, earlier this year at CES: Google TV. 

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Google’s original successor seemed to be Android tablets with docks. The Pixel Tablet coming two years after the 2021 Nest Hub (2nd-gen) — and four years since the 2019 Nest Hub Max — fit the timeline. Meanwhile, the device that eventually became the Pixel Tablet was described to me early in the development process as a Nest Hub with a dockable tablet form factor.

It’s unclear whether we’ll see another Pixel Tablet in the near future. That’s a shame because the full Android experience, like glanceable lockscreen widgets for music and Google Home, easily beats the old smart display software. Meanwhile, Google definitely hit upon something by giving the tablet a permanent place to return to when not in use.

The key aspect of smart displays (versus speakers) is the ability to surface ambient information without users having to do anything. On the current Nest Hubs, presence sensing can switch from the clock face to the grid of cards upon approach. There’s also the key ability to show photos when not in use and video (including calls), as well as enhance spoken results (like showing a weather forecast).

In January, Google showed how all that can be handled by a smart TV running Android. 

Google highlighted an ambient mode with widgets for the weather, calendar, recent photos, security camera feeds, and even news. This “on-screen hub” appears — switching away from photos — when you are near thanks to proximity sensors that future televisions are adding.

All content, especially photos and videos, look better on a bigger screen. Meanwhile, TVs with built-in cameras or accessories that easily connect seem inevitable in the future.

In terms of the other smart display/speaker capabilities, upcoming Google TV models are adding far-field microphones for voice commands without a remote.

Google showed off a Gemini-powered Google Assistant that can answer questions conversationally and include YouTube videos in its responses. (I assume smart displays will be getting a similar experience, with testing today just for speakers.) Meanwhile, the more natural queries extend to when you’re searching for something to watch. Ultimately, the Android/Google TV-powered nature is easier for development. 

Most people have televisions and adding an ambient experience to that existing screen seems inevitable.

However, there are obvious ways that televisions don’t serve as straightforward successors.

The lack of touch controls with a UI that inherently beckons you to tap is a bit limiting, but can be resolved by a Gemini Live and/or Astra-level voice control experience. However, it still takes away from being able to silently control your smart home by just tapping.

Today’s smart displays allow you to affordably place miniature screens around your home. It’s unlikely that televisions will ever reach that ubiquity, even from just a size standpoint. That speaks to a range of smart displays being needed, with TVs being the new flagship and hopefully tablets in the middle.

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